as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
she was bowled over to learn that she had a long-lost sister
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bowl over
Everman’s balanced attack too much for Wyatt Everman got 15 points from Carsyn Smith and 12 more from Makhiya Dangerfield as the Bulldogs bowled over Fort Worth Wyatt 69-14 in a Class 5A Division II bi-district tilt on Monday.
—
Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
Start by heating the chocolate and butter in a bowl over very low heat, stirring to combine.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Place bowl over hot water in saucepan, making sure water does not touch bottom of bowl.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
Lewis was bowled over by Lee’s research, which included the revelation that an early version of Goldman Sachs was a venture investor in Clarence Birdseye’s flash-freezing method; Birdseye studied as an ornithologist (as well as a taxidermist, fur trader, hunter, and fish lobbyist).
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bowl over
Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
Start by heating the chocolate and butter in a bowl over very low heat, stirring to combine.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Place bowl over hot water in saucepan, making sure water does not touch bottom of bowl.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
Lewis was bowled over by Lee’s research, which included the revelation that an early version of Goldman Sachs was a venture investor in Clarence Birdseye’s flash-freezing method; Birdseye studied as an ornithologist (as well as a taxidermist, fur trader, hunter, and fish lobbyist).
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bowl over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowl over
Verb
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Her plan to surprise her husband quickly spiraled into joyful chaos.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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Mamdani’s victory seemed to have surprised and unsettled him.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For twelve seasons, Kim has amazed us with her fierce and raw portrayal of Teddy Altman.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
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The guys that amaze me the most are the guys that can turn it over every year and still be damn good.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The second came when UConn stunned Duke on that last-second 3-point shot to upset the Blue Devils in the Elite Eight.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
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Tony-award-winning actor John Kani said he was stunned when the theatre's founders Barney Simon and Mannie Manim first told him their vision.—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Freddy Valle, a resident, says many were shocked by the notice.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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The recent news that a former athletic trainer at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale had been arrested and charged with murder has shocked some students.—
Abigail Min,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some cyclists sped by pretty quickly, startling us and our dog.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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This is a novel about Jewish bodies and how people respond to them, the toll of obsession, and the conflicting currents of desire and unease that shake and startle a deep romantic fixation.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Holmes is a funny guy, making impossible deductions and Watson still managing to be astonished by it.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Founders would be astonished to see how massive the country’s defense establishment has become today, and even more surprised by its tradition of deference to civilian authority.—
Kori Schake,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bowl over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowl%20over. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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