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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Tribal members specifically built their homes in ways that prevented bears from getting in, and learned to always sing or make noise when walking down a trail, so as not to surprise them.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026 -
Taking a second swipe at cornerback shouldn’t surprise anyone, given the need for depth in that group.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For twelve seasons, Kim has amazed us with her fierce and raw portrayal of Teddy Altman.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
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The guys that amaze me the most are the guys that can turn it over every year and still be damn good.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One of his players from the 2005 team, outfielder Scott Podsednik, shocked Guillén with the announcement.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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Coming off three straight 100-loss seasons and widely projected for a fourth in 2026, Polis believes the club’s changed front office, led by president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, gives the Rockies a shot to shock the baseball world with a wild-card berth.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Arms were folded, faces stunned by, and a feeling of defeat—that's what was left as the road to the championship came to a halt with the Fighting Illini losing to the UConn Huskies.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
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While new-car sales dropped in the EU through January, BYD stunned the market by reporting a 175% year-on-year increase in deliveries to 13,982 units, according to ACEA data.—
Sam Meredith,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This is a novel about Jewish bodies and how people respond to them, the toll of obsession, and the conflicting currents of desire and unease that shake and startle a deep romantic fixation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
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Kevin Uribe, another employee, said the sound of the collapse initially startled him.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
2 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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The news, revealed in court filings last week, astonished environmental lawyers, who were already shocked after the Department of the Interior announced two weeks ago that a meeting to discuss an exemption would take place on March 31.—
Chiara Eisner,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Thunderstrike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thunderstrike. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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