dumbfound

verb

dumb·found | \ ˌdəm-ˈfau̇nd

, ˈdəm-ˌfaund\

variants: or less commonly dumfound

dumbfounded also dumfounded; dumbfounding also dumfounding; dumbfounds also dumfounds

Definition of dumbfound

transitive verb

: to confound (see confound sense 1) briefly and usually with astonishment were dumbfounded at what they saw

Other Words from dumbfound Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about dumbfound

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Choose the Right Synonym for dumbfound

puzzle, perplex, bewilder, distract, nonplus, confound, dumbfound mean to baffle and disturb mentally. puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve. the persistent fever puzzled the doctor perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision. a behavior that perplexed her friends bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking. a bewildering number of possibilities distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests. distracted by personal problems nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible. the remark left us utterly nonplussed confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement. the tragic news confounded us all dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound. was at first too dumbfounded to reply

Examples of dumbfound in a Sentence

the surprise ending will dumbfound even the most seasoned mystery reader

Recent Examples on the Web

Fetzer told The Washington Post in an email he was dumbfounded by the ruling in Wisconsin. — Susan Svrluga, courant.com, "First, they lost their children. Then the conspiracy theories started. Now, the parents of Newtown are fighting back.," 9 July 2019 The other bachelors were dumbfounded, crowding around the window and wondering what in the world was going on. — Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, "What Is a Box King? Unraveling 'Bachelorette' Contestant Joe Barsano's Actual Job," 14 May 2019 Some fans are dumbfounded by the news... Others are mad... — Alison Caporimo, Seventeen, "The Jonas Brothers Reunion Is Making Fans Beg One Direction To Get Back Together on Twitter," 28 Feb. 2019 The leaders of Gilead are so certain of their own rightness that they are perpetually dumbfounded and enraged that anyone could possibly disagree with them and behave in defiance. — Rena Gross, Billboard, "'The Handmaid's Tale': Season 2, Episode 6 Recap - 12 Haunting Moments From 'First Blood'," 23 May 2018 Will the new standard satisfy players, coaches and fans, who so often in the past have been dumbfounded by the league’s inability to figure out what should be one of the simplest and most straightforward rules interpretations in all of sports? — Mark Maske, The Seattle Times, "What to watch as NFL teams report to training camps," 24 July 2018 His jumps went sour in both the men’s program and the team event, and he was dumbfounded as to what went wrong. — Juliet Macur, New York Times, "Nathan Chen Gets a Different Kind of Reward," 17 Feb. 2018 Photo: Mike Theiler/Reuters The press was dumbfounded, and both left and right were thrown into disarray. — Joseph Dorman, WSJ, "The Odd Couple: Nixon and Moynihan," 25 Oct. 2018 One county technician, dumbfounded by the whoosh of code rocketing across the screen, somberly took out his phone and began to film it. — Benjamin Wofford, Vox, "The midterms are already hacked. You just don’t know it yet.," 25 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dumbfound.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.