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
Among those who watched in astonishment at the fundraiser were New Hampshire Democratic U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster and California U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley.
—
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 15 May 2025
To Jin’s astonishment, the sphere darted through the inner courtyard around to the entranceway and then directly out the main gate.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 6 May 2025
To her astonishment, the only entry inside was dated the day of the 9/11 attacks.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
Our initial astonishment at the prospect of extraterrestrial visitation warrants closer scrutiny.
—David Chauvet, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for astonishment
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 15 May 2025
To Jin’s astonishment, the sphere darted through the inner courtyard around to the entranceway and then directly out the main gate.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 6 May 2025
To her astonishment, the only entry inside was dated the day of the 9/11 attacks.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
Our initial astonishment at the prospect of extraterrestrial visitation warrants closer scrutiny.
—David Chauvet, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for astonishment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for astonishment
Noun
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Within three weeks, to Akasha’s amazement, Shimshai was up to 40 orders a day.—
Andy Greenberg,
Wired News,
22 May 2025
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This spectacle of breezy contempt regarding questions of process and policy was humiliating, for sure, but hardly an amazement.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Investors have learned to position themselves for both the initial shock of aggressive announcements and the subsequent backpedaling that typically follows.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
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In Kevin Day’s case, the initial sense of shock eventually gave way to tears in, of all places, his local supermarket.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Noun
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The president’s support of Ukraine has been in question since before his reelection because of his vocal admiration for Putin — and after publicly shouting at Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to the White House in February.—
Sam Gillette,
People.com,
5 June 2025
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His admiration for strongmen such as Putin, China’s Xi Jinping and El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele alarms observers.—
Daniel Treisman,
The Conversation,
3 June 2025
Noun
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The deaths of children do put the parents in a state of finality—this was not a surprise to Lilian.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
15 June 2025
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The surprise attack on Tehran raised the stakes in a long-running internal dispute, whose stakes could increase as Israel’s need for support grows in response to Iranian retaliation.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 June 2025
Noun
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The setting for the show is the beauteous grounds of the Palace of Fine Arts, which has been tricked out to accommodate all sorts of interactive and balloon-based wonderment.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
1 May 2025
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During his latest mission, his third long-duration on the International Space Station, Pettit brought his brand of wonderment to the assignment.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Astonishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/astonishment. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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