astonishing

adjective

as·​ton·​ish·​ing ə-ˈstä-ni-shiŋ 

: causing a feeling of great surprise or wonder : surprising

an astonishing discovery

astonishingly

ə-ˈstä-ni-shiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of astonishing

• surprising
• startling
• amazing
• stunning
• shocking

Examples of astonishing in a Sentence

He showed an astonishing lack of concern for others.

The truck can hold an astonishing amount of stuff.

She gave an astonishing performance in her first film.

Recent Examples on the Web

An astonishing wealth of information and wisdom has been bequeathed to us. — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026

Letexier waved off Ziko’s goal for the infraction, which occurred an astonishing 18 seconds before the apparent goal. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 7 July 2026

Their defensive commitment was astonishing, compact and aggressive in a 5-4-1 shape throughout, limiting the overwhelming tournament favourites to pot-shots for over an hour. — Stuart James, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Laptop Deal The HP OmniBook 3 redefines long-haul productivity by delivering an astonishing 32 hours and 15 minutes of operating on a single charge. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of astonish

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for astonishing

• admonishing