Thesaurus results for ASTOUND

Q: How does the verb 'astound' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of astound are amaze , astonish , flabbergast , and surprise . While all these words mean "to impress forcibly through unexpectedness," astound stresses the shock of astonishment. // too astounded to respond

Q: When might 'amaze' be a better fit than 'astound'?

The words amaze and astound can be used in similar contexts, but amaze suggests an effect of bewilderment. // amazed by the immense size of the place

Q: Where would 'astonish' be a reasonable alternative to 'astound'?

In some situations, the words astonish and astound are roughly equivalent. However, astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible. // a discovery that astonished the world

Q: In what contexts can 'flabbergast' take the place of 'astound'?

Although the words flabbergast and astound have much in common, flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay. // flabbergasted by his angry refusal

Q: When is 'surprise' a more appropriate choice than 'astound'?

While the synonyms surprise and astound are close in meaning, surprise stresses causing an effect through being unexpected but not necessarily unusual or novel. // surprised to find them at home

astound

verb

ə-ˈstau̇nd

Definition of astound

as in to amaze

to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected it astounds me that you flew all the way out here just for my birthday

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb astound contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of astound are amaze, astonish, flabbergast, and surprise. While all these words mean "to impress forcibly through unexpectedness," astound stresses the shock of astonishment.

too astounded to respond

When might amaze be a better fit than astound?

The words amaze and astound can be used in similar contexts, but amaze suggests an effect of bewilderment.

amazed by the immense size of the place

Where would astonish be a reasonable alternative to astound?

In some situations, the words astonish and astound are roughly equivalent. However, astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible.

a discovery that astonished the world

In what contexts can flabbergast take the place of astound?

Although the words flabbergast and astound have much in common, flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay.

flabbergasted by his angry refusal

When is surprise a more appropriate choice than astound?

While the synonyms surprise and astound are close in meaning, surprise stresses causing an effect through being unexpected but not necessarily unusual or novel.

surprised to find them at home

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of astound Honorable Mentions Toverland, Netherlands One of the most innovative parks in the world for families, Toverland astounded me with its attention to detail. — Zachary Laks, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026 The thousands who came to see his 1857 painting of Niagara Falls, first in the United States and then in Britain, were astounded by its immense scale and unique perspective. — Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 Dev’s capacity for overestimating the appeal of his ideas and projects continues to astound me. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026 Throughout it all, Kudrow astounds. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for astound

Recent Examples of Synonyms for astound

Verb

Larry remarks, amazed all these years later by this odd before-they-were-stars encounter.

— Blake J. Harris, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
What amazes me is there seems to be a wide swath of Michiganders who don’t seem to mind being lied to.

— Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of amaze

Verb

The cheapest day to fly may surprise you Kayak data suggests the cheapest day to fly during the holiday period is often the holiday itself.

— Joshua Sidorowicz, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
But what has surprised creators more than anything is how hard YouTube is fighting back.

— Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of surprise

Verb

Regardless, attention is the tool by which artificial neural networks access and convey meaning, association, and context, often well enough to astonish us with their fluency.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
Less than a month after astonishing the world with its solution to the long-standing Navier-Stokes problem, OpenAI has released 722 maths papers, proving or disproving problems across numerous fields from algebraic geometry to number theory.

— Will Barker, TheWeek, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of astonish

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, 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

Definition of stun

Verb

The company has sought to significantly reduce costs in Africa since the MultiChoice buyout, with streamer Showmax discontinued earlier this year in a move that shocked the local industry.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
At school the next day, students are still shocked by what happened.

— Olivia Young, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of shock

Verb

Surveillance footage & evidence Police reviewed surveillance footage in the area, which showed the two gunshot victims walking, then appear startled, according to court records.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
The parents admit to some corporal punishment, but of a mild sort—the kind that might startle a child but which wouldn’t do bodily harm.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of startle

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“Astound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/astound. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of astound

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