gobsmacked
adjective
gob·smacked
ˈgäb-ˌsmakt 
chiefly British, informal
: overwhelmed with wonder, surprise, or shock : astounded
Several minutes later I touch the bottom, pleased to discover that Louise—despite all her experience exploring caves elsewhere in the world—is as gobsmacked as I am. "This place is huge, and daylit," she says, her face glazed with awe.—
Gregory Crouch
Gregory CrouchThus, when the cell-phone video surfaced, fashion insiders were so gobsmacked that to this day they'll tell you where they were when they first heard about it.—Ingrid Sischy
Ingrid SischyExamples of gobsmacked in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The group — consisting of Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick and Lance Bass — spent their time onstage reminiscing about their MTV salad days, basking in the glow of the adoring audience, and getting some serious love from a gobsmacked Swift.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Sep. 2023
The phrase appeared last March, much as a wildflower might: with sudden, almost gobsmacked abandon, born in preparation of its own demise.
—Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2021
Everyone, including the Israeli delegation, looked gobsmacked.
—Alejandro Varela, Harper's magazine, 16 Sep. 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Sep. 2023
The phrase appeared last March, much as a wildflower might: with sudden, almost gobsmacked abandon, born in preparation of its own demise.
—Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2021
Everyone, including the Israeli delegation, looked gobsmacked.
—Alejandro Varela, Harper's magazine, 16 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Gobsmacked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gobsmacked. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share