Definition of flabbergastnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb flabbergast contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of flabbergast are amaze, astonish, astound, and surprise. While all these words mean "to impress forcibly through unexpectedness," flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay.

flabbergasted by his angry refusal

When would amaze be a good substitute for flabbergast?

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

amazed by the immense size of the place

When is astonish a more appropriate choice than flabbergast?

The meanings of astonish and flabbergast largely overlap; however, astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible.

a discovery that astonished the world

When might astound be a better fit than flabbergast?

While in some cases nearly identical to flabbergast, astound stresses the shock of astonishment.

too astounded to respond

Where would surprise be a reasonable alternative to flabbergast?

In some situations, the words surprise and flabbergast are roughly equivalent. However, 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 flabbergast The unexpected barb left Kimmel flabbergasted. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026 Bill Belichick’s resume screams one-way ticket to Canton, Ohio, but when he wasn’t voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, many were left flabbergasted on Tuesday night. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026 Not only was the hockey world surprised, Sennecke himself was flabbergasted. Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 18 Jan. 2026 Hong Kong Restaurant A fixture in downtown Nampa, the Chinese food destination abruptly closed in September, leaving customers flabbergasted, saddened and nostalgic. Michael Deeds january 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flabbergast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flabbergast
Verb
  • More than 30 years later, what amazes me isn’t just what that team accomplished on the field.
    Charlie Davies, New York Times, 9 June 2026
  • This technology still amazes me.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Through the fantastical nature of this story and the original nature of the omniscient narrator Ahmad is able to continually surprise.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 June 2026
  • There was also a nice moment with his dad, who surprised him after flying to New York on a red-eye Sunday morning.
    Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Cape Verde came onto the international stage with a thrilling show — shocking the world with its 0-0 draw against Spain, where Vozinha was catapulted into sports stardom for stonewalling the Spanish, and on to its 2-2 stalemate with Uruguay.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 27 June 2026
  • This was a practice in which doctors used extreme measures such as draining large amounts of blood (bloodletting) or inducing vomiting in an attempt to shock the patient’s body back to health.
    Stephanie Stephens, USA Today, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Still, the pace and scale of the effort has stunned longtime sanctions observers.
    Daniel Flatley, Fortune, 28 June 2026
  • While the crime plot is an obvious highlight, I was stunned by Tilly and Gershon’s incredible chemistry and the rejection of stereotypical noir tropes.
    Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • This place is going to astonish you.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 June 2026
  • Organizers had been expecting a cozy little affair, but were astonished when more than 1,300 people from around the world signed up to participate.
    David Mack, CNN Money, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • The mobile phone alert startled many across the city-state of Dubai, the first such alert since the interim ceasefire.
    Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
  • Lansley said she has been startled by how chatbots can appear to display emotional intelligence.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Flabbergast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flabbergast. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

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