flabbergast

verb flab·ber·gast \ ˈfla-bər-ˌgast \

Updated on: 21 Apr 2018

Definition of flabbergast

transitive verb

: to overwhelm with shock, surprise, or wonder : dumbfound

We were flabbergasted by the news that he had won the lottery.

—

flabbergastingly

play \ˈfla-bər-ˌga-stiŋ-lē\ adverb

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Examples of flabbergast in a Sentence

It flabbergasts me to see how many people still support them.
your decision to suddenly quit your job flabbergasts me

Recent Examples of flabbergast from the Web

That translates to a 58-win pace, which would be a flabbergasting total.

— andy mccullough, latimes.com, "Dodgers mailbag: Did the Dodgers do enough this winter?," 16 Apr. 2018
And fans are both flabbergasted and saddened that their beloved sport is now the site of national scandal.

— raisa bruner, Time, "Cricket Players Caught Tampering With the Ball. Welcome to 'Sandpapergate.'," 28 Mar. 2018
This is yet another boon to people who are still flabbergasted about Trump winning and want something to blame.

— luke darby, GQ, "The Company That Stole Your Facebook Data for the Trump Campaign Is Even Shadier Than Advertised," 20 Mar. 2018
Having recently graduated from New York University Law School and moved to San Francisco to begin his career, Marcus Hayes is flabbergasted by the absence of black faces.

— San Francisco Chronicle, "Recommended reading, March 18," 14 Mar. 2018
Some interviewed on the streets of San Antonio said they were frustrated with the finger-pointing in Washington, and flabbergasted that the stalemate was over immigration.

— lynn brezosky, San Antonio Express-News, "Voters express anger at shutdown, immigration impasse," 20 Jan. 2018
Steve Bittenbender/Special to CJ Male football coach Chris Wolfe stood in his team’s locker room at halftime flabbergasted by what he’d just witnessed.

— steve bittenbender, The Courier-Journal, "Male, a 'second half team,' has high hopes for the season's second half," 30 Sep. 2017
After former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer made a surprise appearance at the Emmys, stars were flabbergasted.

— diana pearl, PEOPLE.com, "The Most Sought-After Emmys Souvenir? A Photo with Sean Spicer!," 18 Sep. 2017
The meeting follows an unexpected deal between Trump, Schumer and Pelosi last week that would temporarily raise the debt ceiling -- leaving the GOP and some of Trump's closest allies flabbergasted.

— sophie tatum, CNN, "Schumer, Pelosi, Trump 'agree' to fix DACA, border security 'excluding' wall," 13 Sep. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of flabbergast

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1772

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

flabbergast Synonyms

Synonyms

amaze, astonish, astound, bowl over, dumbfound (also dumfound), floor, rock, shock, startle, stun, stupefy, surprise (also surprize);

Phrases

knock for a loop, take aback, take by surprise;

Synonym Discussion of flabbergast

surprise, astonish, astound, amaze, flabbergast mean to impress forcibly through unexpectedness. surprise stresses causing an effect through being unexpected but not necessarily unusual or novel.