Synonyms of flabbergast

flabbergast

verb

ˈfla-bər-ˌgast 

as in to amaze

to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

your decision to suddenly quit your job flabbergasts me

Synonyms & Similar Words

• amaze
• surprise
• shock
• astonish
• stun
• startle
• dumbfound
• astound
• stupefy
• rock
• surprize
• dumfound
• bewilder
• perplex
• take aback
• take by surprise
• befuddle
• thunderstrike
• disconcert
• floor
• bowl over
• nonplus
• discomfit
• dismay
• confuse
• muddle
• blindside
• daze
• confound
• shake up
• blow away
• jar
• knock for a loop

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb flabbergast contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of flabbergast are amaze, astonish, astound, and surprise. While all these words mean "to impress forcibly through unexpectedness," flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay.

flabbergasted by his angry refusal

When would amaze be a good substitute for flabbergast?

The words amaze and flabbergast can be used in similar contexts, but amaze suggests an effect of bewilderment.

amazed by the immense size of the place

When is astonish a more appropriate choice than flabbergast?

The meanings of astonish and flabbergast largely overlap; however, astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible.

a discovery that astonished the world

When might astound be a better fit than flabbergast?

While in some cases nearly identical to flabbergast, astound stresses the shock of astonishment.

too astounded to respond

Where would surprise be a reasonable alternative to flabbergast?

In some situations, the words surprise and flabbergast are roughly equivalent. However, surprise stresses causing an effect through being unexpected but not necessarily unusual or novel.

surprised to find them at home

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of flabbergast

For Perry, these operations felt like the final step to closing out a weight loss journey that flabbergasted millions online. —Angela Yang, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2025

Gates, who once held Musk’s current position as the world’s wealthiest person, seems to find this hard-right turn flabbergasting. —Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025

Dozens of producer friends wrote to one another, flabbergasted that such a thing could happen. —Cathy Schulman, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2025

As the rational and oft-flabbergasted physician who narrates Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, Watson is the looking glass into Holmes’s intellectual superpowers. —Rory Doherty, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025