jaw-dropping

adjective

ˈjȯ-ˌdrä-piŋ How to pronounce jaw-dropping (audio)
Definition of jaw-droppingnext
as in amazing
causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness the jaw-dropping prices for high-end modern art at the auction houses this season

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 jaw-dropping On the other hand, however, take a step back and the world-building is jaw-dropping; on a big screen, Rogue Trooper is almost overwhelming, and Barnard becomes an almost godlike presence by the end with his piercing white eyes (don’t worry, it’s explained). — Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 June 2026 That would be bold and brash and jaw-dropping. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 May 2026 His most impressive was the jaw-dropping, 488-foot shot into the second deck in right field off Yu Darvish in Game 1 of the 2022 National League Championship Series, which the Phillies won 2-0 en route to winning the series in five games. — ABC News, 25 May 2026 And the results are downright jaw-dropping. — Andrea Gawrylewski, Scientific American, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for jaw-dropping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jaw-dropping
  1. amazing
  2. startling
  3. surprising
  4. stunning
  5. shocking
  6. astonishing
Adjective
  • Christina has amazing taste and loves color but also has a sense of restraint.
    — Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2026
  • For all the robots’ amazing (if unsettling) feats, let’s be real—their hijinks are too funny not to watch on repeat.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of amazing
Adjective
  • Churchman said that in developing the firm’s AI platform for clients, the software made a startling admission.
    — Hugh Son, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
  • A couple's anniversary getaway took a wild turn when a bear strolled into a Gatlinburg tea shop and began rummaging through merchandise before suddenly jumping onto the counter in a startling encounter caught on video.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of startling
Adjective
  • For something with only 256 pixels to play with, people have found a surprising number of things to put on them.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Paranormal Activity understands just how much fun that can be, crafting a story so suspenseful, so surprising and so startling that the audience’s screams become a soundtrack all their own.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of surprising
Adjective
  • The Colorado Rockies overcame a nine-run deficit, matching the biggest rally in team history and stunning the Atlanta Braves 12-10 on Troy Tulowitzki’s go-ahead single in the eighth inning.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Options include a stunning floating breakfast, wine and cheese tastings, cooking masterclasses, and a romantic sunset dinner on an isolated sandbank.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of stunning
Adjective
  • As men, women and children flooded across the border between Morocco and Spain, into the autonomous city of Ceuta at the end of July, European populists and anti-immigrant politicians capitalized on the shocking images of human desperation.
    — Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The number was so shocking that the company became a symbol of industrial power and financial concentration.
    — Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • The approvals here in this state happened with astonishing speed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Highlights include astonishing wildlife moments like orcas carrying a humpback whale calf together after separating it from its mother and the unexpected encounter between a freediver and a giant oceanic sunfish.
    — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of astonishing

Browse Nearby Words

jaw-droppers
jaw-dropping
jawed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jaw-dropping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jaw-dropping. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of southpaw

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All