amazement

noun

ə-ˈmāz-mənt How to pronounce amazement (audio)
Definition of amazementnext
1
as in astonishment
the rapt attention and deep emotion caused by the sight of something extraordinary Israelites watched in amazement as the Red Sea parted so that they could cross on dry land

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shock
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual imagine Dorothy's amazement when she discovered that the Wizard of Oz was just an ordinary man

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of amazement That moment, consummated with five minutes left in SJCC’s 41-21 loss to College of the Redwoods, was the culmination of weeks of media hype, expectation and shock and amazement from those across the country who became aware of Buzzard’s story. — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2026 Dos Santos stared toward the clock in amazement after finishing the 400-meter hurdles Thursday night at the Diamond League meet in Zurich. — ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 Sitting in a swivel chair in a hotel conference room, Victor Peng stares out the window at the Chicago River with a look of amazement. — Tal Rosenberg, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026 To my amazement, within a few weeks, Elizabeth had gotten into the habit of asking nicely instead of nagging. — Debby Waldman, Parents, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for amazement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amazement
  1. astonishment
  2. shock
  3. admiration
  4. surprise
  5. wonderment
  6. wonder
Noun
  • Its laughs are more often born out of astonishment than intentional comic craft.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Or someone sees the light on in Rita’s room and their eyes meet for a second, from a distance, observing one another with astonishment.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of astonishment
Noun
  • The United States also has a uniquely large and diverse economy that is far less susceptible to shocks than many of its smaller peers.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Duncan says the initial shock usually fades after a round or two, and cycling back and forth multiple times yields better results.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of shock
Noun
  • As for Bodanzky, Fidalgo recalls a long mutual admiration between herself and the director.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Our colleague Helen Branswell was a renowned infectious disease reporter who earned the respect and admiration of experts and public health officials with her authoritative, prescient reporting on the flu, polio, Ebola and the Covid-19 pandemic.
    — Elaine Chen, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of admiration
Noun
  • From a computational perspective, Friston argues, attempting to reduce uncertainty—basically, working to avoid unpleasant surprises—is the brain’s primary goal.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Students had a surprise visitor — Kendall Jenner, who popped in to their classroom, looking way collegiate in an all-white outfit and sweater around her neck.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of surprise
Noun
  • The experience hooked the former Texas standout immediately, and the wonderment only grew from there.
    — Larry Holder, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Carmella says in wonderment, as if the Red Cross recommends one wait a period of time between activities.
    — Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of wonderment
Noun
  • Much like her character Klara, Ortega chooses to have faith in humans and their spontaneous wonder.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Karant experienced the same wonder of the space, even once it had been hollowed out.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of wonder

Browse Nearby Words

amazed
amazement
amazements
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Amazement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amazement. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of disparate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All