jaw-dropping

adjective

jaw-drop·​ping ˈjȯ-ˌdrä-piŋ 

: causing great surprise or astonishment

jaw-dropper

ˈjȯ-ˌdrä-pər 

noun

jaw-droppingly

ˈjȯ-ˌdrä-piŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of jaw-dropping

• amazing
• startling
• surprising
• stunning
• shocking
• astonishing

Examples of jaw-dropping in a Sentence

the jaw-dropping prices for high-end modern art at the auction houses this season

Recent Examples on the Web

This version lost eight league games before Christmas, and the most memorable of those came in September at Villa Park, thanks to Ronnie Rosenthal’s jaw-dropping, era-defining miss. — Amitai Winehouse, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Related Stories Without spoiling the often jaw-dropping twists, Giuliano, who both wrote and directed the feature, has made a must-see film for genre fans. — William Earl, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026

The jaw-dropping, heart-stopping core of this novel is about grief, and about the unwavering march of time. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026

With action that’s alternately jaw-dropping and campy, the newest Street Fighter will punch and kick its way into theaters nearly 40 years after the franchise first launched. — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for jaw-dropping

• eavesdropping
• outcropping
• sharecropping
• chopping
• copping
• cropping
• dropping
• flopping
• hopping
• lopping
• mopping
• popping