astounded

1 of 2

adjective

as·​tound·​ed ə-ˈstau̇n-dəd 

: feeling or showing great surprise or wonder : astonished entry 1, amazed entry 1

was astounded to hear the news

We were too astounded to speak. We could only stand there staring in amazement.

—Arthur Conan Doyle

astounded

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of astound entry 1

Synonyms of astounded

Adjective

• amazed
• stunned
• shocked
• astonished
• surprised

Examples of astounded in a Sentence

Adjective

were astounded to realize that we were holding the winning lottery ticket

the astounded look on the tourists' faces when the police ordered them to leave the country immediately

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Petrini, however, was astounded at how quickly his temperament improved. — Mirin Fader, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

When Clark’s family, who typically prefer leaner cuts like filet, tried the 22-ounce Prime LHA Reserve lollipop, their taste buds were astounded. — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 28 July 2026

His ability to keep calm and carry on astounded many in the crowd. — Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026

Monconys was astounded by the amount the baker had paid—six hundred livres! — Clare Bucknell, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

originally doubled past participle of astonen, astonien "to stun, daze, surprise" — more at astonish

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1540, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for astounded

• abounded
• compounded
• confounded
• expounded
• foregrounded
• impounded
• propounded
• rebounded
• resounded
• subrounded
• surrounded
• unbounded