as in amazing
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowling over
Verb
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After tense standoffs with Mallory (Crystle Stewart) and Horace's ex-wife, Olivia (Debbi Morgan), Kimmie enters the meeting and promptly takes it over, surprising the family with her mind for numbers.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025 -
Detroit rapper Kash Doll pulled out all the stops for her boyfriend, NFL star Za’Darius Smith’s 33rd birthday, surprising him with a custom ride that has fans talking.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Two months after catastrophic flooding killed 27 girls and counselors at Camp Mystic, the famed Texas camp plans to reopen – shocking some family members who still don’t know where their loved one is.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
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The Live With Kelly and Mark cohost made a joke on the matter Thursday morning, shocking husband Mark Consuelos after his wife read aloud a statistic about divorce rates plummeting in the United States.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bowling over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowling%20over. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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