1
as in surprise
something that makes a strong impression because it is so unexpected
As expected, the box-office champ was another superhero actioner, but the real stunner was the second-place finish for the low-budget comedy.
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2
as in queen
an attractive woman
Not only is she smart, she's a real stunner.
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Recent Examples of stunner
The drop is a stunner for the shares, which have been among the steadiest in the media sector.
—
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
After upsetting 3-seed Virginia in the Round of 32 and 2-seed Iowa State in the Sweet 16, can star point guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie and the Volunteers pull off another stunner at United Center in Chicago?
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
This winter has been a stunner for Western states.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
Down in New Orleans, the sisters behind contemporary Mexican stunner Acamaya, one of our Best New Restaurants of 2025, are opening what is poised to be the hottest breakfast spot in town.
—Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stunner
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
After upsetting 3-seed Virginia in the Round of 32 and 2-seed Iowa State in the Sweet 16, can star point guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie and the Volunteers pull off another stunner at United Center in Chicago?
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
This winter has been a stunner for Western states.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
Down in New Orleans, the sisters behind contemporary Mexican stunner Acamaya, one of our Best New Restaurants of 2025, are opening what is poised to be the hottest breakfast spot in town.
—Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stunner
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunner
Noun
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Indoors, reportedly, one came across a corresponding ease, to the surprise of outsiders.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Israel has been hunting him and his comrades, picking them off by airstrike and drone, in surprise attacks that often kill civilians alongside them.—
Lauren Frayer,
NPR,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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All 24 accommodations, ranging from a queen room to a two-bedroom, two-bathroom oceanfront suite, share a distinct residential vibe.—
Regan Stephens,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Apr. 2026
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Shortly thereafter, Peter photographed another leather queen, the poet Kirby Congdon.—
Andrew Durbin,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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New Environment If your plant has gone through a significant change in its environment recently—colder or warmer temperatures, a sudden lack of humidity, a change in light levels or watering habits—the shock could cause leaf drop.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
11 Apr. 2026
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That’s why most economists agree the oil price shock from the Iran war probably won’t end in a recession.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This powerful Greek name actually stems from Demeter, a Greek goddess.—
Lydia Wang,
Parents,
12 Apr. 2026
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The festival's origins stretch back to the Roman festival of Floralia, which was held to celebrate the goddess of spring and fertility and has been reinvented numerous times in the centuries that followed, according to the National Trust.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The design is surprisingly simplified, if not lacking in carats, given the blonde bombshell’s penchant for flashy costume jewelry on and off screen.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
13 Apr. 2026
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After the bombshell tell-all, the queen refused to take Harry’s phone calls without another person in the room, Vickers claimed.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With more than ninety works, the galleries are thronged with beauties, many of whom refuse to be pinned down to a gender.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
And a prior production at Court Theatre made much more of the beauty of the changing of campus seasons, one of the ways Auburn gets at the nourishing pleasures of an academic life.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The confirmation process itself bears much of the responsibility for the Court’s jolt toward partisanship.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
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The election, which wrapped up Tuesday, saw a surge of interest from voters amid rising household electricity prices and pushback against massive data centers in the battleground state and elsewhere, as national politics gives a jolt to once-low-profile elections for control over utilities.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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What was on offer? Getting an eyeful of the range of things that Polymarket users will bet on via USDC stablecoins was enlightening.—
Rob Pegoraro,
ArsTechnica,
29 Mar. 2026
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This weekend, fans will also get an eyeful during the NBA All-Star Weekend.—
Contessa Brewer,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stunner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunner. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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