reeling

[ ree-ling ]

adjective

1. staggering or swaying; unable to walk straight because of a blow, intoxication, etc.:

   It seemed as if a reeling, drunken giant had set the route for the race—it was so full of twists and turns.

2. in a state of mental or emotional shock; overwhelmed:

   As a reeling nation mourns its dead, investigators are trying to determine whether anyone was aware of the homicidal plan.

Word History and Origins

Origin of reeling¹

reel ²( def ) + -ing ²( def )

Example Sentences

In an address from the White House Rose Garden on Thursday, President Joe Biden urged Americans reeling from Donald Trump’s victory to stay strong and support the peaceful transfer of power in January.

From Salon

Sir Chris says chemotherapy "was one of the biggest challenges I've ever faced and gone through" at a time when he was "still reeling from the diagnosis" just a few weeks earlier.

From BBC

While unlawful border crossings are now down, they really did spike during the Biden administration; large numbers of immigrants reeling from economic collapse in Venezuela, violence in Central America, and instability worldwide came not just into border states but into cities and towns across the U.S., and even true-blue metropolises felt overwhelmed by a flood of newcomers with few in-country connections and fewer means.

From Slate

The only candidate who had failed to attend was Lawler, the sitting congressman and Republican nominee for New York’s 17th, whose campaign was recently left reeling by a New York Times report that unearthed photos of Lawler dressed in a Michael Jackson costume that included blackface.

From Salon

The Briton dominated the second set, reeling off five games in a row to seal victory.

From BBC