as in surprising
causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness
the flabbergasting sight of the mess that the teens had left in the kitchen
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in amazing
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
your decision to suddenly quit your job flabbergasts me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flabbergasting
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Dohnányi, after no end of rigorous rehearsal, obtained a collective sound of unreal, flabbergasting clarity.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flabbergasting
Adjective
-
Step through that doorway and visitors are greeted by Penryn Grill, a full-service restaurant that has become one of Placer County's most surprising dining destinations.—
Conor McGill,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
-
That outcome would amount to a surprising end to what had been a rocket-ship campaign for the 42-year-old gadfly.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
In one camp Gao Sheng breaks a cultural norm by helping her father and uncles with a big project, amazing her relatives with her physical and mental strength.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
These sprinklers detect motion and will squirt bursts of water, startling squirrels and chasing them out of your garden.—
Molly Burford,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
-
One of the more startling nuggets the doc reveals concerns Paul Bateson, the former radiological technician convicted of Verrill’s murder.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The daring attack, a symbol of Ukraine's innovative drone efforts reminiscent of that stunning operation last year in which Ukraine hid drones in shipping trucks, releasing them deep in Russia and striking military airfields.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
-
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s stunning 2018 defeat of Representative Joe Crowley, a Queens party boss and member of the Democratic House leadership, catapulted her to international fame.—
Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Doherty departed the show in 1994, shocking viewers who felt Brenda was a staple of the show's drama.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
-
The Today show host came prepared with a beer in his suit jacket pocket, shocking his cohosts.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The widespread opposition has turned into a rare bipartisan issue, with conservatives and liberals joining sides to an astonishing degree.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
4 June 2026
-
An astonishing 51 candidates have thrown their hats in the ring.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flabbergasting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flabbergasting. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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