stun

1 of 2

verb

ˈstən 

stunned; stunning

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

Verb

• daze
• paralyze
• rock
• hit

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Ralph stunned guests by wearing an 80-foot-long shawl that flowed behind her, covering the 72 steps leading up to the museum. —Sarah Title, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025

Though the 25-year-old spent Thursday preparing for a Triple-A game in Buffalo, Roden wasn’t stunned to learned he’d been traded. —Dan Hayes, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025

Figma debut stuns Figma shares nearly tripled on Thursday, the design software company’s first day trading on the New York Stock Exchange. —Diane Brady, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2025

The lobby stuns on arrival with original steel beams, exposed brick and a spiraling black staircase rising into a 33-foot atrium bathed in moody, architectural lighting. —Katharina Kotrba, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025

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

Phrases Containing stun

• stun grenade
• stun gun

Rhymes for stun

• bun
• done
• dun
• fun
• gun
• hun
• jun
• none
• nun
• one
• pun
• run

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 

stunned; stunning

: to make senseless, groggy, or dizzy by or as if by a blow