stupefy

verb

stu·​pe·​fy ˈstü-pə-ˌfī How to pronounce stupefy (audio)
ˈstyü-
stupefied; stupefying

transitive verb

1
: to make stupid, groggy, or insensible
2
stupefyingly adverb

Examples of stupefy in a Sentence

stupefied by the ruling that he could not compete because he missed the qualifying age by two days
Recent Examples on the Web The bounty of data comes from a batch of new surveys, most notably one by the European Space Agency (ESA) observatory Gaia, that are collecting stupefying amounts of information. Ann Finkbeiner, Scientific American, 16 Jan. 2024 The technologies' outcome, like the number of stars, is also stupefying: The Mesopotamians might have been off by a finger or so held at arm's length, maybe a degree of arc, and Hipparchus was off by about half a degree, or 30 arc minutes. Ann Finkbeiner, Scientific American, 16 Jan. 2024 But in 1981, the Lakers’ verdict stupefies Westhead, who doesn’t see his exit coming even as the team’s marquee name turns against him. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 3 Sep. 2023 Their enemies were the forces of cynicism and indifference that Wallace depicted in Infinite Jest, set in a near-future America stupefied by consumerism, mass entertainment, and addictive substances. Adam Kirsch, Harper's Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023 In contrast with many histories of the war, Overy eschews the drama of great tank battles and instead conveys the stupefying loss of nearly all the tanks produced by the combatants. Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 6 Apr. 2022 These diaries are the most stupefying documents in a stupefying œuvre. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023 His shaggy gold locks and handsome face stupefy a writer accustomed to having all her desires in check and on schedule. Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2023 On April 21, the day after the rapture of legacy blue checkmarks, the Musk Cult was out in full force, stupefied that people—famous and anonymous—wouldn’t pay a measly eight bucks a month for Twitter Blue. Scott Nover, Quartz, 21 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stupefy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English stupifien, modification of Latin stupefacere, from stupēre to be astonished + facere to make, do — more at do

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stupefy was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near stupefy

Cite this Entry

“Stupefy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stupefy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stupefy

verb
stu·​pe·​fy ˈst(y)ü-pə-ˌfī How to pronounce stupefy (audio)
stupefied; stupefying
1
: astonish, bewilder
the strange sight stupefied the crowd
2
: to make stupid, groggy, or numb
stupefied by the huge meal

Medical Definition

stupefy

transitive verb
stu·​pe·​fy ˈst(y)ü-pə-ˌfī How to pronounce stupefy (audio)
stupefied; stupefying
: to make stupid, groggy, or insensible
stupefied by anesthesia

More from Merriam-Webster on stupefy

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