1
as in amazed
affected with sudden and great wonder or surprise
was astonished at seeing a cow wandering down Main Street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wondering
filled with amazement or wonder
grandparents astonished at how much their grandchildren had grown in the past year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in surprised
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
the news that you and she broke up absolutely astonishes me
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 astonished
Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Under Kidman's Practical Magic 2 post, fans in the comments expressed excitement about the forthcoming sequel to the witchy cult classic — which was based on the 1995 Alice Hoffman novel of the same name — while others seemed astonished that filming for the movie has already finished.
—Nigel Smith, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Chiara Eisner, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
Holmes is a funny guy, making impossible deductions and Watson still managing to be astonished by it.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for astonished
Adjective
After another four strikeouts on the mound, Ohtani hit his third home run of the night in the seventh inning, traveling 427 feet into the stands full of astonished Dodgers fans.
—Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Under Kidman's Practical Magic 2 post, fans in the comments expressed excitement about the forthcoming sequel to the witchy cult classic — which was based on the 1995 Alice Hoffman novel of the same name — while others seemed astonished that filming for the movie has already finished.
—Nigel Smith, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
The news, revealed in court filings last week, astonished environmental lawyers, who were already shocked after the Department of the Interior announced two weeks ago that a meeting to discuss an exemption would take place on March 31.
—Chiara Eisner, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
Holmes is a funny guy, making impossible deductions and Watson still managing to be astonished by it.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for astonished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for astonished
Adjective
-
From 'oo's' and 'ah's' to big smiles, fans are both amazed and delighted by his presence.—
Kaley Fedko,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
Padres season-ticket holders in the 300 level at Petco Park for four years, both were amazed by their baseball weekend.—
Ryan Finley,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Nathan Lane, celebrated for Tony-winning comedic roles in ‘The Producers’ and other musicals, tackles Willy Loman in a casting choice that surprised some when the revival was announced.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
-
But Scott said he had been surprised by their resilience, with the majority in his tight community of around 90 blockchain and crypto entrepreneurs opting to stay despite the conflict.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Some looked stunned, others threw up their hands or clapped.—
Camila Gomez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
But within seconds of being knocked back, the responding officers were back up, checking on each other and evacuating stunned residents — including several children — from the rubble of the home, the video shows.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Everyone was so relieved to see how bewildered everyone else was that the feeling in this place was almost festive.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Numerous cryptocurrency novices become bewildered by intricate decals and fluctuating percentages.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In 1997, the businessman shocked diplomats at a black-tie gala by announcing the donation of a staggering $1 billion to the United Nations to benefit programs aiding refugees and children.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
Scott Gordon, chief of water enforcement for EPA’s regional office at the time, toured the site in 2000 and said he was shocked by how the industrial water found its path into the river, sometimes through gullies cut by the flow.—
DYLAN JACKSON,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Let’s not confuse slightly horrified admiration for Irina’s determination with admiration for her as a person.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
-
As the scene was projected onto a screen, Jude seemed slightly horrified to see himself in front of the camera rather than behind it.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The gunfire startled sleeping guests at the Citizen Hotel, which included a wedding party and fans of the rapper Tyler the Creator, who performed at a concert hours earlier.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Littrell walked up to the man, who appeared to be startled by the singer's presence.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Astonished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/astonished. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
