1
as in dazes
to make senseless or dizzy by a blow
a powerful uppercut to the jaw stunned the boxer and sent him crashing to the canvas
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in amazes
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
the news of their boss's termination stunned the staff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stuns
Laura Dern looks amazing in marabou feathers, Marissa Long stuns in sequins, and Chris Messina is also there.
—
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 May 2026
Torch Lake in Michigan stuns with its clear turquoise water, glacial origins, and iconic summer sandbar scene.
—Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2026
Frankie Grande stuns in a velvet and diamond-studded emsemble for the premiere of Broadway's Titanique on April 12.
—Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Trump's attack stuns the world.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
South Carolina stuns undefeated UConn 62-48, snapping the Huskies’ 54-game winning streak and advancing to the women’s NCAA championship game.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
This trail stuns in either direction, but beginning at Clark Forks cuts elevation gain by nearly 2,000 feet.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Hyundai stuns with Atlas Hyundai showcased Atlas at CES in Las Vegas last month.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 2 Mar. 2026
Jimenez created this look using two coats of a bronzy pearl polish accented with subtle green glitter, resulting in a finish that stuns with its simplicity.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 May 2026
Torch Lake in Michigan stuns with its clear turquoise water, glacial origins, and iconic summer sandbar scene.
—Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2026
Frankie Grande stuns in a velvet and diamond-studded emsemble for the premiere of Broadway's Titanique on April 12.
—Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Trump's attack stuns the world.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
South Carolina stuns undefeated UConn 62-48, snapping the Huskies’ 54-game winning streak and advancing to the women’s NCAA championship game.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
This trail stuns in either direction, but beginning at Clark Forks cuts elevation gain by nearly 2,000 feet.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Hyundai stuns with Atlas Hyundai showcased Atlas at CES in Las Vegas last month.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 2 Mar. 2026
Jimenez created this look using two coats of a bronzy pearl polish accented with subtle green glitter, resulting in a finish that stuns with its simplicity.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stuns
Verb
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The second thing that strikes me more and actually amazes me is the fact that this is a story, a trope, that is repeated in most of the presentation of Agnes Pockels.—
Mariel Carr,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026
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Eva’s romance with her husband, Franklin Plaskett, delights and amazes her.—
Adelle Waldman,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And finally… ▶️ Explosion rocks fireworks factory Video captured the dramatic moment a fireworks factory erupted in Malta on Monday.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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Kristin Cavallari rocks the runway for Shop Resa x Uncommon James during Miami Swim Week on May 28.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Bubbles Didn’t Enter The Picture That Early In one of the moist unintentionally hilarious moments in the movie, Michael shocks his family by adopting a CGI baby chimpanzee named Bubbles sometime around 1979.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2026
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When harvested, the roots are cut, which shocks the plant and can delay root reestablishment for several weeks.—
Ryan Bearss,
The Conversation,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In fact, too much choice often paralyzes decision-making.—
David Meade,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
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Once an octopus ambushes and bites its prey, the venom in its saliva paralyzes the prey, allowing the octopus to consume it.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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If hypotheticals about what could have been are a good dream for New York Knicks fans, then Mikal Bridges is the alarm clock that startles them awake.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
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The project, which Steinberger has rebranded multiple times—evolving from Clawdbot to Moltbot and finally to OpenClaw—largely owing to politics—has expanded at a pace that startles even seasoned AI experts.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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If those dominoes start to fall in a way that surprises Wall Street, reactions will be much more adverse.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
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Now, for the part that surprises most homeowners.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
28 May 2026
Verb
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More than 42,000 of those pieces were found over just the past eight years of excavation, a pace that astonishes even the researchers leading the work.—
Ryan Brennan
April 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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His work astonishes and moves people far beyond the fashion bubble to this day.—
WWD Staff,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stuns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stuns. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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