astonishment
noun
as·ton·ish·ment
ə-ˈstä-nish-mənt 
1
a
: a feeling of great surprise and wonder : the state of being astonished : amazement
The garden's beauty filled me with astonishment.
b
2
: something that astonishes : a cause of amazement or wonder
Everything that he had seen so far … had been so astonishing that he began to wonder whether there could possibly be any more astonishments left.—
Roald Dahl
Roald DahlExamples of astonishment in a Sentence
The garden's beauty filled me with astonishment.
A crowd watched in astonishment as he jumped from the bridge.
They discovered to their astonishment that their car had been stolen.
Much to the astonishment of her friends and family, she left school to pursue her acting career.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lane Hunter vented his astonishment on TikTok that AC might not be turned on in his apartment building until early or mid-May.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2026
Olivia Miles makes the types of nifty passes that can leave fans gasping in astonishment.
—CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
One of Cecilia’s first acts on arriving in London, for example—much to the displeasure and astonishment of her guardians—is to procure books.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
To my astonishment, the classic poem became one of the most mind-expanding literary experiences of my life.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for astonishment
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Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2026
Olivia Miles makes the types of nifty passes that can leave fans gasping in astonishment.
—CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
One of Cecilia’s first acts on arriving in London, for example—much to the displeasure and astonishment of her guardians—is to procure books.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
To my astonishment, the classic poem became one of the most mind-expanding literary experiences of my life.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for astonishment
Cite this Entry
“Astonishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/astonishment. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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