thunderstruck 1 of 2

adjective

as in stunned
affected with sudden and great wonder or surprise the teen was thunderstruck when his parents told him he had been adopted

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

thunderstruck

2 of 2

verb

past tense of thunderstrike
as in surprised
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected everyone was thunderstruck when she quit her job without warning

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of thunderstruck
Adjective
At a New Year’s Eve ball at the Chelsea School of Art in 1961, Saville, in his mid-30s and long married, was thunderstruck at the sight of the 23-year-old Pauline Boty, and the two commenced an affair. — Sean Wilentz, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026 Dolly was thunderstruck but hardly resigned to life as a has-been. — Martha Ackmann, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026 The baseball-loving family members were thunderstruck at spotting the T206 Honus Wagner in the frame. — Marin Independent Journal, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thunderstruck
  1. stunned
  2. surprised
  3. amazed
  4. shocked
  5. astonished
  6. startled
  7. dumbstruck
Adjective
  • That, to my mind, is why Wiles seemed so stunned by the firestorm that erupted when her words appeared in my 10,000-word Vanity Fair series last December.
    — Chris Whipple, Vanity Fair, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The scene is one of many standout moments that left audiences and Fielder himself both stunned and uncomfortable.
    — Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of stunned
Verb
  • More than the incredible sights, what surprised him most about his visit to the Washington state national park was that little noise penetrated from beyond the verdant canopies.
    — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 14 Nov. 2026
  • Even some of Google's longtime partners are surprised by the company's current position, including superintendent Hank Thiele in Illinois.
    — Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of surprised
Adjective
  • Researchers were amazed that Australia could stay bird-flu-free for six years.
    — Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Adamantium-tally our SEA officers were amazed to see this image roll across their X-ray screen.
    — News Editor, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of amazed
Verb
  • The case shocked her community and the fight to convict her killer proved difficult.
    — Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Theiss’ wife filed a police complaint alleging that the men were shocked while trying to get out of the pool and drowned, NDTV reported.
    — Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of shocked
Adjective
  • And Denée Benton, whose budding writer Peggy Scott acts as an entry point into New York’s prosperous Black elite, still sounds astonished.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Further stories illuminate emotional realities burrowed deep within enormously likeable characters, often moving the reader (or this reader anyway) to astonished tears.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of astonished
Verb
  • Surveillance footage & evidence Police reviewed surveillance footage in the area, which showed the two gunshot victims walking, then appear startled, according to court records.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • However, startled by the activation of the security system, the suspect fled the scene without stealing any loot.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of startled
Adjective
  • And she is just completely dumbstruck by that.
    — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Lyons can be a brilliant agent of chaos, a person whose presence left castmates starstruck before her bluntness left them dumbstruck.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 13 July 2023
Definition of dumbstruck

Browse Nearby Words

thunderstriking
thunderstruck
thunk
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Cite this Entry

“Thunderstruck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thunderstruck. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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