as in astonishment
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual
upon hearing the unexpected news, she just sat there in total stupefaction
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Recent Examples of stupefaction
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Advertisement The depth of my stupefaction is at the center of a debate playing out on social media, prompted by what seemed to be a definitive ruling on the matter from ketchup giant Heinz.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 3 July 2023
As usual, however, TIME's selection has stirred up disagreement/bemusement/stupefaction.
—Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2010
Glimpses of both are embedded inside her bracing work, along with a healthy dose of stupefaction and bewilderment.
—Christopher Knightart Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2022
So here’s a handy guide to stick it to your co-conversants and have their heads nodding at your bon mots in sublime stupefaction.
—Andy Kessler, WSJ, 13 June 2021
The ‘Brexit’ series has only heightened this sense of entertainment and stupefaction.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 29 May 2021
Marsalis’s expression combines shock, dismay, amusement, stupefaction, and something like resignation.
—BostonGlobe.com, 1 Apr. 2021
The tourists, speaking in bad French, shake their heads in stupefaction.
—New York Times, 7 Feb. 2021
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Advertisement The depth of my stupefaction is at the center of a debate playing out on social media, prompted by what seemed to be a definitive ruling on the matter from ketchup giant Heinz.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 3 July 2023
As usual, however, TIME's selection has stirred up disagreement/bemusement/stupefaction.
—Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2010
Glimpses of both are embedded inside her bracing work, along with a healthy dose of stupefaction and bewilderment.
—Christopher Knightart Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2022
So here’s a handy guide to stick it to your co-conversants and have their heads nodding at your bon mots in sublime stupefaction.
—Andy Kessler, WSJ, 13 June 2021
The ‘Brexit’ series has only heightened this sense of entertainment and stupefaction.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 29 May 2021
Marsalis’s expression combines shock, dismay, amusement, stupefaction, and something like resignation.
—BostonGlobe.com, 1 Apr. 2021
The tourists, speaking in bad French, shake their heads in stupefaction.
—New York Times, 7 Feb. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stupefaction
Noun
-
Johansson even joked in her musical monologue that castmember Sarah Sherman was leaving, to Sherman's mock astonishment.—
Eric Deggans,
NPR,
18 May 2025
-
In a perfect world for Robertson, the astonishment and bewilderment Knies had at Robertson’s game would be enough to push Robertson into the playoffs.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Then, to my utter amazement, four geese tumbled one by one out of the line-stone dead, not even a kicker.—
Nash Buckingham,
Outdoor Life,
19 June 2025
-
Within three weeks, to Akasha’s amazement, Shimshai was up to 40 orders a day.—
Andy Greenberg,
Wired News,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
The majority of those injured at Soroka were hurt while seeking shelter or suffered from shock.—
Amanda Castro
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
-
In the age of Trump’s global tariffs, Beijing is unleashing an export shock across the globe.—
Kristina Karisch,
The Hill,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
The Blue Jackets, who added veteran forwards Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood earlier in the day, selected defenseman Jackson Smith with the No. 14 overall pick and — in a surprise to many — goaltender Pyotr Andreyanov with the No. 20 overall pick.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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Studies using fMRI scans show that when people experience a good magic trick, areas in the brain linked to conflict detection and surprise—like the anterior cingulate cortex and prefrontal cortex—light up.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stupefaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stupefaction. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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