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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bowl over
Those musings have caused alarm among some critics who have watched the president bowl over guardrails and norms in his first two months back in office.
—
Brett Samuels, The Hill, 31 Mar. 2025
In a bowl over simmering water (aka double boiler), melt butter, chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Mar. 2025
Step 3 Place a second medium heatproof bowl over the pot and turn the heat to medium-low.
—Janice Feuer Haugen, Saveur, 12 Feb. 2025
Place the bowl over the pot and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture is fully melted and satiny smooth, about 5 minutes.
—Janice Feuer Haugen, Saveur, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bowl over
Brett Samuels, The Hill, 31 Mar. 2025
In a bowl over simmering water (aka double boiler), melt butter, chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Mar. 2025
Step 3 Place a second medium heatproof bowl over the pot and turn the heat to medium-low.
—Janice Feuer Haugen, Saveur, 12 Feb. 2025
Place the bowl over the pot and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture is fully melted and satiny smooth, about 5 minutes.
—Janice Feuer Haugen, Saveur, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bowl over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowl over
Verb
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The truth is no one should be surprised by the swift start.—
Dan Alexander,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Don’t be surprised when the Avs win Game 6, 17-2. If the Stars had their complete lineup, this would not be a close series.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Regardless of how or why, that drive continues to amaze me.—
Tom Teicholz,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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What amazes me is that after Covid, a lot of the business became transactional.—
Jennifer Leigh Parker,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
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When Kevin Anderson, Burns' friend from prison, read the transcript of the hearing, he was stunned.—
Erin Moriarty, Liza Finley,
CBS News,
4 May 2025
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But at the hearings, the lawyers were frequently stunned by how government attorneys described the whereabouts of the men in question.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
2 May 2025
Verb
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The manhunt The slaying of Pascal shocked in the Upper Florida Keys community, which, while certainly not immune from crime, rarely experiences brutal murders.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
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One father, a lawyer who teaches constitutional law, was shocked by the university’s roughshod treatment of his son and students and the ease with which administrators disregarded their rights.—
Wynn Smiley,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That aural reminder punctuates my days now, and frequently startles me.—
Rob Mank,
Christian Science Monitor,
2 Apr. 2025
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But the website also has messages about residents being startled, as Catanzaro was, by stealthy contractors with air guns.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In recent months, Stewart hosted a podcast in a blue outfit with a crochet sweater, shared cleaning tips in a dark gray Hanro lounge set, and rocked lemon yellow from head to toe.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
People.com,
1 May 2025
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Ball Arena was rocking like the 2022 Cup final; the energy and electricity in the air were unbelievable.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Licence utilisation among the initial user base exceeded 80 percent, a figure that astonished even the bank’s AI leadership team.—
Zennon Kapron,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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Hotel manager Anders Reinertsen, who oversees operations of staterooms and public areas, told me he was astonished to be able to hear kayakers paddling while sailing through Geirangerfjord because the ship is so quiet.—
Blane Bachelor,
AFAR Media,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bowl over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowl%20over. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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