as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
everyone was thunderstruck when she quit her job without warning
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thunderstrike
Verb
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Nuno knows Forest must keep finding ways to surprise people.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
15 Aug. 2025 -
The scientists were surprised by how forceful human embryos are, especially compared to mouse embryos, which appear to lie passively as a womb envelopes them.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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DoorDash and Roblox make the list because there are always a couple of companies that amaze and can't be denied.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
4 Aug. 2025
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What amazed many is that Brooks — who has earned just one All-Defense nod (second team in 2023) — isn’t more respected as a defender, especially because of his versatility.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
Verb
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His mother, Melissa, was shocked that the animal attacked despite the large crowd of people.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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In October of 2023, Nascar first announced iRacing’s acquisition of the rights to the new video game title, shocking the world after Motorsport Games’ demise.—
Joseph Wolkin,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Ralph stunned guests by wearing an 80-foot-long shawl that flowed behind her, covering the 72 steps leading up to the museum.—
Sarah Title,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Though the 25-year-old spent Thursday preparing for a Triple-A game in Buffalo, Roden wasn’t stunned to learned he’d been traded.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Also, when purchasing hiking gear to wear for gorilla trekking, buy only neutral colors—like army green, khaki, black, and tan — to avoid startling them and drawing extra attention to yourself.—
Claire Gallam,
Travel + Leisure,
23 July 2025
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However, the unexpected authenticity of the situation to her Memphis roots initially startled the artist.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Yet the region's dynamics have also shifted substantially since the last Arab-Israeli war that rocked the region more than half a century ago.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Aug. 2025
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In a similar but slightly less exclusive vein is the Omega Speedmaster Paul Wesley rocked at Comic-Con.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
2 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This summer, his apples—and mountains and bathers and portraits of the solid citizens of Aix-en-Provence, his sunny, beloved birthplace—are the locus of a cornucopia of exhibitions and events that should astonish us.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
14 June 2025
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Drive one on Germany's Autobahn, and you'd be astonished at the power and speed.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
1 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Thunderstrike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thunderstrike. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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