1
as in amazement
the rapt attention and deep emotion caused by the sight of something extraordinary
the Midwesterner's astonishment at seeing the ocean for the first time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shock
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual
the suddenness of the thunderstorm left the picnickers in a state of astonishment
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of astonishment
Bare feet on grass, and astonishment at my little apple tree.
—
Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 31 July 2025
Jude Bellingham trotted over in his flip-flops in astonishment to congratulate Courtois before the two embraced, but no one was more pleased to see his goalkeeper come to the rescue than Alonso, who was asked what was going through his mind as Sabitzer’s effort headed towards goal.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2025
In an era of deepfakes and algorithmic sleight-of-hand, authentic astonishment is more valuable than ever.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Johansson even joked in her musical monologue that castmember Sarah Sherman was leaving, to Sherman's mock astonishment.
—Eric Deggans, NPR, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for astonishment
Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 31 July 2025
Jude Bellingham trotted over in his flip-flops in astonishment to congratulate Courtois before the two embraced, but no one was more pleased to see his goalkeeper come to the rescue than Alonso, who was asked what was going through his mind as Sabitzer’s effort headed towards goal.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2025
In an era of deepfakes and algorithmic sleight-of-hand, authentic astonishment is more valuable than ever.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Johansson even joked in her musical monologue that castmember Sarah Sherman was leaving, to Sherman's mock astonishment.
—Eric Deggans, NPR, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for astonishment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for astonishment
Noun
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In the clip filmed by tour guide Captain John Shields, a white bottle nose dolphin is seen swimming up to the surface with its fin poking in and out of the water repeatedly as tourists watch on in amazement from their boat.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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It was named after the Piedmontese exclamation of amazement at seeing something beautiful.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Sticker shock, though, is expected to hit when consumers shop for 2026 model year cars and trucks as more of those vehicles arrive at dealer lots, according to Cox Automotive.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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Despite the shock loss, Milei has vowed no changes to his divisive agenda, which has reshaped Argentina’s economy, slashing inflation while boosting growth.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The mutual admiration during their talk was palpable.—
Michele Amabile Angermiller,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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My admiration and respect will never vanish.—
Andrea Onate,
Footwear News,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The president made a surprise on-field cameo at Chelsea FC’s win at the World Cup Final in New Jersey in July.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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To my surprise, the burger was quite good; a gooey mesh of meat and cheese became one flesh.—
Joe Joyce,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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My love Bobby looked at life as an adventure taking me by the hand leading me through a world of wonderment from music to poetry and painting.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
10 Aug. 2025
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Like the nursery pictured, a room with this design can easily flow with the rest of the home while also leaning into colors and patterns to foster a sense of childlike wonderment.—
Nina Derwin,
Architectural Digest,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Astonishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/astonishment. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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