variants also dumfound

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dumbfound differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dumbfound are bewilder, confound, distract, nonplus, perplex, and puzzle. While all these words mean "to baffle and disturb mentally," dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound.

was at first too dumbfounded to reply

In what contexts can bewilder take the place of dumbfound?

In some situations, the words bewilder and dumbfound are roughly equivalent. However, bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.

a bewildering number of possibilities

When is it sensible to use confound instead of dumbfound?

While the synonyms confound and dumbfound are close in meaning, confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.

the tragic news confounded us all

When would distract be a good substitute for dumbfound?

The meanings of distract and dumbfound largely overlap; however, distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.

distracted by personal problems

When could nonplus be used to replace dumbfound?

The words nonplus and dumbfound are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.

the remark left us utterly nonplussed

Where would perplex be a reasonable alternative to dumbfound?

Although the words perplex and dumbfound have much in common, perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.

a behavior that perplexed her friends

When might puzzle be a better fit than dumbfound?

The synonyms puzzle and dumbfound are sometimes interchangeable, but puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.

the persistent fever puzzled the doctor

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 dumbfound Siri’s Guide for Newbie Farmers To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This implausible performance dumbfounded many Americans, like Carol Foyler, who resides in Akron, Ohio. Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker, 27 June 2023 Credit: Everett Collection Sox in Lightyear Sohn as Sox, the cat-like personal companion robot for Chris Evans' Buzz Lightyear, became the unexpected standout of this 2022 movie — which still dumbfounds Sohn a bit to this day. Nick Romano, EW.com, 16 June 2023 An American visionary, Anderson embraces his bourgeois adolescence with poetic accuracy: a boy floating forward to give help; a girl raising her hand to ask a question; a general revealing his ethnically specific history; everyone dumbfounded by an extraterrestrial’s appearance. Armond White, National Review, 16 June 2023 Photographs of Nahapetian at the film’s premiere dumbfounded a fair number of social media users, who had also mistaken the actor for a de-aged Phoenix after watching the trailer. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 26 Apr. 2023 See All Example Sentences for dumbfound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumbfound
Verb
  • The battle was turbo-charged when Powell surprised markets with a 50 basis point inflation hike in September last year, seen by some as a gift to Trump’s Democratic Party election rival Kamala Harris.
    Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • In a move that surprised some, the Republican governor’s proclamation also called on lawmakers to weaken the state’s initiative petition process, a more than a century-old mechanism for direct democracy that allows citizens to put measures on the ballot.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Apparently, this will shock no one, everybody lately wants to scream.
    Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
  • In 2019, after massive layoffs and lost sales, the company shocked Wall Street by writing down the value of marquee brands Oscar Mayer and Kraft by $15 billion.
    Alina Selyukh, NPR, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The 90-yard dash along the right sideline one play after Ruvalcaba’s interception amazed his teammates.
    Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Having an almost 80-year-old actor at the heart of the film and in almost every scene could be a huge undertaking, but Touzani says Maura’s vitality amazed her.
    Alissa Simon, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The success of the event astonished everybody.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Both Padres baseball leaders were astonished by what the 2010 team had achieved through more than three-quarters of the season.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Even in her 90s, her easily flitting vocals astounded, bouncing from deep valleys to breathy peaks, and, like the best jazz, mimicking the volatility and joy of the human spirit.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Either way, you'll be astounded by just how light this laptop feels.
    Luke Larsen Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The pitching coach was flabbergasted.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
  • He’s been flabbergasted by what’s happened since 2021.
    Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone‘s doom-laden black comedy-thriller Bugonia stupefied and delighted the Venice Film Festival on Thursday night, drawing a rousing six-minute standing ovation after its world premiere inside the Italian water city’s Sala Grande cinema.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
  • The popularity Nirvana gained at stupefying speed and unmanageable proportions in 1991 is impossible to replicate in the culture and music industry of 2025.
    Chris R. Morgan, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dumbfound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumbfound. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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