stuns

verb

present tense third-person singular of stun
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

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 stuns Paula Abdul stuns in neon orange for The Hollywood Reporter’s A-list Aesthetics event at Hotel Bel-Air on July 15 in Los Angeles. — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026 Set the scene This resort stuns, with magical panoramic views of the northern coastline of Crete. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026 Tabitha and Jade flee into the tunnels after an earthquake temporarily stuns the monsters, and Jade and his crew race to their vehicles to outrun the monsters that have come to the surface under the cover of this false night. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stuns
  1. rocks
  2. amazes
  3. paralyzes
  4. shocks
  5. startles
  6. surprises
  7. astonishes
Verb
  • Mindy Kaling rocks a butter yellow outfit outside Good Morning America on July 9 in New York City.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
  • Here, Jordyn Woods rocks her goddess braids in a ponytail with the top two front braids left loose for a soft, tendril-y look.
    — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 9 July 2026
Definition of rocks
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
Definition of amazes
Verb
  • Fear, like ignorance, shuts our eyes to and paralyzes our trust in God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and unfailing love for His children, whereas the understanding of God’s ever-present goodness removes the fear that generates suffering.
    — André Kisonga, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026
  • These opportunists drown out the core mission, creating a cacophony of competing voices that confuses donors, crowd the inboxes of CEOs and members of Congress with colliding petitions, and paralyzes meaningful action by draining critical funding and attention away from the truly effective groups.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 28 June 2026
Definition of paralyzes
Verb
  • Though the Colonel had many enemies, the violence of his death shocks the sleepy village and starts the tongues of the local gossips wagging.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 15 July 2026
  • Jean-Marie Le Pen shocks France by reaching the presidential runoff, losing to Jacques Chirac in a landslide.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 July 2026
Definition of shocks
Verb
  • Missile warning startles Dubai Earlier on Friday, a missile warning in the United Arab Emirates caused by a technical glitch underscored the ongoing tensions in the region, following the attack on the cargo vessel and Israeli strikes in Lebanon over the past few days.
    — Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
  • The combination of flashing light and movement startles them.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
Definition of startles
Verb
  • What surprises me, actually, is – not surprises me, but what gratifies me is that Iranian attacks have been – not been larger or more capable.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 12 July 2026
  • The Park Hyatt Chicago, which opened in 1980 as the first-ever Park Hyatt hotel, immediately surprises with its boutique vibe.
    — Rima Suqi, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
Definition of surprises
Verb
  • 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
  • His work astonishes and moves people far beyond the fashion bubble to this day.
    — WWD Staff, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of astonishes

Browse Nearby Words

stunningly
stuns
stunt
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Cite this Entry

“Stuns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stuns. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stuns

Nglish: Translation of stuns for Spanish Speakers

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