flabbergast

verb

flab·​ber·​gast ˈfla-bər-ˌgast How to pronounce flabbergast (audio)
flabbergasted; flabbergasting; flabbergasts
Synonyms of flabbergastnext

transitive verb

: to overwhelm with shock, surprise, or wonder : dumbfound
We were flabbergasted by the news that he had won the lottery.
flabbergastingly
ˈfla-bər-ˌga-stiŋ-lē How to pronounce flabbergast (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of flabbergast

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for flabbergast

surprise, astonish, astound, amaze, flabbergast mean to impress forcibly through unexpectedness.

surprise stresses causing an effect through being unexpected but not necessarily unusual or novel.

surprised to find them at home

astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible.

a discovery that astonished the world

astound stresses the shock of astonishment.

too astounded to respond

amaze suggests an effect of bewilderment.

amazed by the immense size of the place

flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay.

flabbergasted by his angry refusal

Examples of flabbergast in a Sentence

It flabbergasts me to see how many people still support them. your decision to suddenly quit your job flabbergasts me
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When Pigott opened up the back of the U-Haul truck, he was flabbergasted. — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 Near the conclusion of the visual timeline, a series of pictures leaves Brewster-walker flabbergasted. — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026 Because when Susskind’s lawyer looked at the deal that had been negotiated, he was flabbergasted by the details. — Blake J. Harris, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 In the meantime, many in town are flabbergasted at how the filmmaker-friendly De Luca and Abdy’s exits were first reported in the press. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flabbergast

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flabbergast was in 1772

Rhymes for flabbergast

See All Rhymes for flabbergast

Browse Nearby Words

flab
flabbergast
flabbergasted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flabbergast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flabbergast. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All