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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This reaction out of the travel ball hardo actually surprised me.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026 -
Morocco won’t surprise anyone this time around as it is ranked eighth in the world coming into the tourney.—
Greg Dudek,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The imposing tower never ceases to amaze local resident Ogden Driskill, whose family has ranched on the land at its base for generations.—
Marnie Hunter,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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When Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the telephone at America’s Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, the invention amazed the crowd.—
David H. Hsu,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The Rockies scored five runs in the ninth on a three-run home run by Hunter Goodman and a walk-off, two-run homer by Ezequiel Tovar to shock the Giants in an electrifying 8-6 win at Coors Field.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
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Fans were shocked to learn a number of details about the actors behind Briar U’s charming student body, from who their real-life partners are to the fact that lead Ella Bright grew up in London and has a British accent.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Just 90 days into his premiership, Abiy, at the time only 41, stunned the world by negotiating a truce that ended a bitter 20-year civil war with neighboring Eritrea.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
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The Spurs came out of the gates hot, quickly taking a 14-point lead, leaving the raucous Continental Coliseum crowd stunned.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
31 May 2026
Verb
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The scale of what is emerging in China’s northwestern desert has left even seasoned analysts startled.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
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The spray of water should startle any squirrels, deer, or other wildlife trying to sneak fruit from your tree.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Verb
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The agents were astonished by how obvious Djena’s enslavement seemed to have been, and by the number of people who had failed to act.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Nordstrom has really sweet jewelry pieces at not-astonishing price points.—
Gina Vaynshteyn,
StyleCaster,
29 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Thunderstrike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thunderstrike. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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