stun

1 of 2

verb

stunned; stunning
Synonyms of stunnext

transitive verb

1
: to make senseless, groggy, or dizzy by or as if by a blow : daze
2
: to shock with noise
3
: to overcome especially with paralyzing astonishment or disbelief

stun

2 of 2

noun

: the effect of something that stuns : shock

Examples of stun in a Sentence

Verb The angry criticism stunned them. His old friends were stunned at his success. She sat in stunned disbelief. There was a stunned expression on her face. weapons that can stun people temporarily
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Still, readers needn’t be aware of Dante’s acrobatics to discover that the poem in English provides imaginative explosions that can stun in mid-sentence. Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026 Chando’s rises from the ashes In July, locals were stunned when popular Mexican chain Chando’s abruptly shuttered its remaining three locations. Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 1 Jan. 2026 Miley Cyrus once stunned in a 21-year-old vintage Bob Mackie minidress and golden blonde hair to ring in New Year's Eve. Christina Perrier, InStyle, 31 Dec. 2025 The year opened with a surprise breakthrough when Chinese AI startup DeepSeek defied US chip curbs to release a powerful, low-cost model that stunned Silicon Valley and rattled Wall Street. Bloomberg, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stun

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English stonen, stunen, from Anglo-French estoner — more at astonish

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1727, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stun was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stun. Accessed 5 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

stun

verb
ˈstən
stunned; stunning
1
: to make senseless or dizzy by or as if by a blow
2
: to overcome with astonishment or disbelief
stunned by the news
stun noun

Medical Definition

stun

transitive verb
stunned; stunning
: to make senseless, groggy, or dizzy by or as if by a blow

More from Merriam-Webster on stun

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