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
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
Executive producer and star of the film, Danielle Brooks, stuns with her performance as a mother trying to juggle it all and offers an honest portrayal of what happens when extenuating circumstances prevent closeness and warmth within a household.
—Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Nicole Kidman stuns in an orange ensemble while in Paris, as Diane Kruger and Norman Reedus have a rare date night at the Armani Privé show during Paris Fashion Week.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Trump's attack stuns the world.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 7 Jan. 2026
RuPaul's Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen stuns in a first look at his Broadway debut.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Dec. 2025
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
Executive producer and star of the film, Danielle Brooks, stuns with her performance as a mother trying to juggle it all and offers an honest portrayal of what happens when extenuating circumstances prevent closeness and warmth within a household.
—Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Nicole Kidman stuns in an orange ensemble while in Paris, as Diane Kruger and Norman Reedus have a rare date night at the Armani Privé show during Paris Fashion Week.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Trump's attack stuns the world.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 7 Jan. 2026
RuPaul's Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen stuns in a first look at his Broadway debut.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Dec. 2025
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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Kaia Gerber rocks a leather jacket at the Mother Mary special screening and Q&A in Los Angeles on April 8.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
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Configured for 16 passengers – with room for up to 20 – the cabin rocks thick carpeting, proper seats with ample legroom, a coffee bar, Wi-Fi, USB-C charging at every position, and ambient ceiling lighting for evening crossings.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 09,
New Atlas,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There are revelations aplenty, shocks too, and dozens of motel breakfasts, all in search of the holy grail, which, in most cases, is represented by a full scholarship to a Division 1 college or university.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
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As the energy shocks from the Iran war reverberate worldwide, countries like Egypt are left dealing with the consequences.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
-
Monster blizzard paralyzes Northeast with extreme snow, soaring power outages.—
,
FOXNews.com,
23 Feb. 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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Your Skin Benefits Too This one surprises people, but the research backs it up.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
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Tulsa responded with a level of generosity that still surprises him.—
Jimmy Jellinek,
SPIN,
7 Apr. 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 16 Apr. 2026.
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