Thesaurus results for STUNS

stuns

verb

present tense third-person singular of stun

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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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 Union boss stuns with major Republican endorsement as election nears. — FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026 Miles away in Fairhaven, Pennsylvania, Chief of Police Dave Ellison (Bill Camp) gets a call that stuns him, and prompts him to contact the FBI immediately. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026 Haslet Eaton stuns Keller Central Haslet Eaton upset Keller Central on Thursday, earning a 28-27 victory in a thriller. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2026 Innanen stuns as Paul Baker — full name all the time — a Canadian newcomer to the group who becomes integral to his friends’ emotional processing all while operating as the resident Gen-Z eye candy. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026 Princess Kate stuns at Wimbledon 2026, hands out tickets to fansNeed a news break? — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 Designed by architect Bart Prince, this sculptural spot stuns with floor-to-ceiling windows and six viewing decks with impressive vistas of the Sandia Mountains. — Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stuns

Verb

The stuff that works here manages to blast past personal malaise with music that rocks.

— Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
The Trike2 rocks an 840-Wh battery, for up to 70 miles (113 km) of range.

— Loz Blain October 26, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of rocks

Verb

What amazes me is there seems to be a wide swath of Michiganders who don’t seem to mind being lied to.

— Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
His greatness is never in question, but to have the league at a standstill because of a 41-year-old free agent amazes me.

— Chris Branch, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Definition of amazes

Verb

During REM sleep, one of the periods of rest when dreams are most likely, the brainstem paralyzes the body’s muscles, except, of course, those that move our eyes and keep us breathing.

— RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026
Kosowski, prosecutors theorized, killed Cozzi with succinylcholine, a fast-acting drug that paralyzes muscles, and threw his body in a Collier County dumpster during a drive to Miami.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of paralyzes

Verb

Thomas shocks Vision back to life, but this somehow alerts Butcherbird; Vision’s mindscape fills with oppressive red lighting, ominously circling birds, and TVs crackling with static.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Triple murder shocks Miami Machado and Sierra, who had a history of domestic violence, split up shortly before the killings.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 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

The reunion sees Gibbs alone in a room when someone surprises him from behind with their entrance.

— Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2026
Each step sends a ripple through the spongy, thin mat, a slow undulating motion beneath your feet that surprises the senses, disorienting yet simultaneously strangely delightful.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of surprises

Verb

Illustration by Ximo Abadía The Broadway musical astonishes us by its continued existence.

— Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of astonishes

Browse Nearby Words

stunningly

stuns

stunt

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“Stuns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stuns. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of stuns

verb

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