Synonym Chooser

How does the verb astound contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of astound are amaze, astonish, flabbergast, and surprise. While all these words mean "to impress forcibly through unexpectedness," astound stresses the shock of astonishment.

too astounded to respond

When might amaze be a better fit than astound?

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

amazed by the immense size of the place

Where would astonish be a reasonable alternative to astound?

In some situations, the words astonish and astound are roughly equivalent. However, astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible.

a discovery that astonished the world

In what contexts can flabbergast take the place of astound?

Although the words flabbergast and astound have much in common, flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay.

flabbergasted by his angry refusal

When is surprise a more appropriate choice than astound?

While the synonyms surprise and astound are close in meaning, surprise stresses causing an effect through being unexpected but not necessarily unusual or novel.

surprised to find them at home

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 astound You might be astounded by what waits for you on the other side of taking a leap of faith. Liz Simmons, StyleCaster, 28 July 2025 Atkins describes a moment when that speed of output particularly astounded him. Anhar Karim, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025 Seattle astounded housing advocates around the country in February 2025, when roughly two-thirds of voters approved a ballot initiative proposing a new 5% payroll tax on salaries in excess of US$1 million. Susanne Schindler, The Conversation, 7 July 2025 He's attended several protests over the years, but the crowd that gathered in Washington Park astounded him. Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for astound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for astound
Verb
  • Andrew Harnik | Getty Images Shares of Oracle surged 36% in yesterday’s session after the company’s cloud growth estimates amazed Wall Street.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
  • What amazes me is how the same film sparks such different conversations, depending on the room.
    Eitan Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But what surprised me most about these curls was the stealthiness of the burn.
    Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Three days later, the couple's friends surprised them with a celebratory wedding dinner.
    Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Hollywood leaders were astonished; free speech groups were appalled; and the episode triggered a multi-day news cycle about free speech and corporate capitulation to political pressure.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
  • His work astonishes and moves people far beyond the fashion bubble to this day.
    WWD Staff, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The industry was stunned when Colorado inked former National League MVP Kris Bryant to a seven-year, $182 million contract after the 2021 season.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Continue reading … OUT OF NOWHERE – Driver stunned when a surprise visitor makes a sudden appearance.
    , FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The legacy trade preference program lapsed Tuesday without a renewal from Congress, shocking some and disappointing many, including lawmakers, importers and the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) exporters and heads of state who have been lobbying with mounting fervor for an extension.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The rural Wisconsinite, who died in a psychiatric institution in 1984, became known for keeping as totems pieces of his victims’ bodies, in a string of crimes that shocked bucolic 1950s America.
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Sleep may be disturbed by a pet's movements, and dogs may bite if startled.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The record-scratch startle that jump-starts the dramatic arc occurs when Eleanor (Squibb) is trying to figure out what to do with herself at a Manhattan Jewish community center after recently relocating from Florida.
    Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Astound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/astound. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on astound

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