wonder

noun won·der \ ˈwən-dər \

Updated on: 20 May 2018

1 a : a cause of astonishment or admiration : marvel

it's a wonder you weren't killed

the pyramid is a wonder to behold

b : miracle

2 : the quality of exciting amazed admiration

3 a : rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience

b : a feeling of doubt or uncertainty

See wonder defined for English-language learners

See wonder defined for kids

Examples of wonder in a Sentence

The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world.
This new computer is a technological wonder.
The child's eyes were filled with wonder during the trip to the circus.
We watched the fireworks show with wonder and amazement.
She gazed up at the tall buildings in wonder.
Is it any wonder why this movie is so popular?

Recent Examples of wonder from the Web

What gardener hasn’t experienced firsthand the wonder and pleasure—as well as the occasional mystery and frustration—to be found in the world of plants.

— Smithsonian, "A Botanical Wonderland Resides in the World of Rare and Unusual Books," 16 May 2018
Grandpa Rossy should be a guest judge all the time No wonder people loved watching David Ross dance.

— michelle r. martinelli, For The Win, "Adam Rippon is going to win DWTS and 5 other takeaways from the semifinals," 15 May 2018
Salles looks at these years in neither sorrow nor anger but something like wonder.

— mark feeney, BostonGlobe.com, "Looking back on the upheaval of the ’60s," 15 May 2018
Each year, qualifying competitors fling for the championship Wilson Cup, a shiny wonder with winged brass-knuckles that sits atop four axes.

— rené a. guzman, San Antonio Express-News, "Ax-throwing the latest trend in fun in San Antonio," 11 May 2018
The rest of the Golden Circle: The snorkeling trip was the centerpiece of our drive around Iceland's Golden Circle - a 190-mile circular route, east of Reykjavik, which includes several natural wonders.

— susan glaser, cleveland.com, "Iceland Travel Blog: Snorkeling in glacial water between two continents (photos)," 9 May 2018
What began with wonder at the creatures residing in the depths has turned into a fierce battle that has brought her death threats and financial distress.

— sara miller llana, The Christian Science Monitor, "She wasn’t an environmental expert, but now she has a ‘Green Nobel’," 7 May 2018
So no wonder that city officials are a little nervous about whether the new owners, Sun Terra Communities, will stick to the plan or try to wiggle out of it.

— lauren ritchie, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Minneola may finally get its city center if new owners of huge development keep word," 7 May 2018
What used to be a somewhat dusty tired display now puts all of Alaska's wonders and challenges right in your face.

— jenna schnuer, Anchorage Daily News, "24 hours in Anchorage (give or take an hour or two)," 3 May 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of wonder

Middle English, from Old English wundor; akin to Old High German wuntar wonder

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

wonder Synonyms

wonder

verb

wondered; wondering play \ˈwən-d(ə-)riŋ\

intransitive verb

1 a : to be in a state of wonder

b : to feel surprise

2 : to feel curiosity or doubt

wondering about the future

transitive verb

: to be curious or in doubt about

wonders why birds sing

—

wonderer

play \ˈwən-dər-ər\ noun

See wonder defined for English-language learners

Examples of wonder in a Sentence

Have you ever wondered why the sky is blue?
Who could that be at the door, I wonder?
She wondered aloud what to do with the money.
I was wondering about that.
Sometimes his behavior makes me wonder.

Recent Examples of wonder from the Web

Nora wonders how an adult would feel in her position.

— alexandra villarreal, The Christian Science Monitor, "In wake of shootings, schools grapple with how to handle violent threats," 17 May 2018
Heavy bets against Treasurys have also left some wondering whether the selloff has become overdone.

— akane otani, WSJ, "U.S. Bond Yields Jump to Fresh Highs on Retail Sales," 15 May 2018
After a white woman called the cops on a group of Black people barbecuing in an Oakland park, many wondered if anywhere was safe.

— britni danielle, Essence.com, "Black Twitter Strikes Again: White Woman Who Called Police On Black Family Becomes A Hilarious Meme," 15 May 2018
Ever wonder what was going on this date 10, 20 or even 100 years ago?

— courier-journal.com, "This Day in History," 15 May 2018
Rivera-Clemente, the Austin mother of three whose OB appointments left her wondering whether she was viewed differently because of her race, is training to be a doula through Healing Hands.

— NBC News, "How training doctors in implicit bias could save the lives of black mothers," 11 May 2018
The researchers wonder whether these ex-combatants—who demobilized voluntarily—are similar to the 6,800 FARC fighters who entered the reincorporation programme as part of the 2016 treaty, many on orders from their commanders.

— sara reardon, Scientific American, "Colombia after the Violence," 9 May 2018
Bayern, meanwhile, are left wondering what might have been after dominating large spells of the two legs but paying a heavy price for individual mistakes.

— thomas allnutt, chicagotribune.com, "Zidane: 'You have to suffer' to reach Champions League final," 2 May 2018
Before its introduction is even over, the reader is left wondering how Charney will manage to fit the entirety of civilization’s missing creative output into 280 pages.

— Bloomberg.com, "Has the Best Art in the World Been Destroyed?," 2 May 2018

First Known Use of wonder

before 12th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

wonder

adjective

: wondrous, wonderful: such as

a : exciting amazement or admiration

wonder toys

b : effective or efficient far beyond anything previously known or anticipated

a wonder fabric

First Known Use of wonder

12th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Wonder

biographical name Won·der \ ˈwən-dər \

Stevie 1950– born Stevland Hardaway Judkins American singer, songwriter and instrumentalist

WONDER Defined for English Language Learners

wonder

noun

: something or someone that is very surprising, beautiful, amazing, etc.
: a feeling caused by seeing something that is very surprising, beautiful, amazing, etc.
: something that is surprising or hard to believe

wonder

verb

: to have interest in knowing or learning something : to think about something with curiosity
—used to ask a question or make a polite request
: to feel surprise or amazement