stun

1 of 2

verb

stunned; stunning

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
The murder stunned her Nassau County community, especially when two other teens went missing in the same area, which became known as the Lynbrook Triangle, a local take on the Bermuda Triangle, known for its disappearances. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2025 Community left stunned, vigil created for victims Photos posted by WSAV on Facebook show a vigil outside of Willie's Bar and Grill to pay tribute to the victims. Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025 Buffalo experienced their first loss in Week 5, as they were stunned by the New England Patriots with a final score of 23-20. James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 This revelation left the family stunned. Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!