stun

1 of 2

verb

ˈstən How to pronounce stun (audio)
stunned; stunning
Synonyms of stunnext

transitive verb

1
: to make senseless, groggy, or dizzy by or as if by a blow : daze
2
: to shock with noise
3
: to overcome especially with paralyzing astonishment or disbelief

stun

2 of 2

noun

: the effect of something that stuns : shock

Synonyms of stun

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Verb

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Examples of stun in a Sentence

Verb The angry criticism stunned them. His old friends were stunned at his success. She sat in stunned disbelief. There was a stunned expression on her face. weapons that can stun people temporarily
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Verb
Frelick tied the score with his first home run in three months, Pratt hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning to make up for his earlier error and the Brewers stunned the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Saturday night for a 2-0 World Series lead. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 Short enough to read in a single sitting, Sara Gran’s chilling story of an architect succumbing to demonic possession will leave readers stunned and unsettled. — David Faris, TheWeek, 23 Oct. 2026 At least seven people were killed, and 27 injured, after gunmen opened fire on a church in Jordan’s southern Karak province in an unprecedented attack that has left the nation stunned. — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026 Debbie Sullivan, who has lived in the neighborhood just west of Country Walk for more than 30 years, told CBS News Miami she was stunned by the violence in her community. — Sergio Candido, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stun

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English stonen, stunen, from Anglo-French estoner — more at astonish

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1727, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stun was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing stun

Rhymes for stun

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Browse Nearby Words

stums
stun
Stundism
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Cite this Entry

“Stun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stun. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

stun

verb
ˈstən
stunned; stunning
1
: to make senseless or dizzy by or as if by a blow
2
: to overcome with astonishment or disbelief
stunned by the news
stun noun

Medical Definition

stun

transitive verb
ˈstən How to pronounce stun (audio)
stunned; stunning
: to make senseless, groggy, or dizzy by or as if by a blow
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