amaze

1 of 2

verb

amazed; amazing; amazes

transitive verb

1
: to fill with wonder : astound
He amazed audiences with the power of his voice.
2
obsolete : bewilder, perplex

intransitive verb

: to show or cause astonishment
The fireworks display never ceases to amaze.

amaze

2 of 2

noun

: amazement
Dick looked at the little man in amaze.Robert Louis Stevenson
Choose the Right Synonym for amaze

surprise, astonish, astound, amaze, flabbergast mean to impress forcibly through unexpectedness.

surprise stresses causing an effect through being unexpected but not necessarily unusual or novel.

surprised to find them at home

astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible.

a discovery that astonished the world

astound stresses the shock of astonishment.

too astounded to respond

amaze suggests an effect of bewilderment.

amazed by the immense size of the place

flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay.

flabbergasted by his angry refusal

Examples of amaze in a Sentence

Verb He has amazed audiences around the world with his magic tricks. It amazes me that no one noticed the error. Her garden's beauty never fails to amaze.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
The two played four minutes together during one of the Lakers’ six preseason games, a moment that left LeBron James amazed. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024 The title signals the jump scare that the image maker hoped would likewise amaze the viewer when the 3D ghost loomed before their very eyes. Andrea Kaston Tange, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024
Noun
The dogs at the daycare, which funds independent dog rescue facility Dogs 4 Rescue, 'amaze' the facility's owner daily. People Staff, Peoplemag, 15 Dec. 2022 But there’s still a short list of destinations with the power to surprise and amaze and awe—and quite a few happen to be in Nevada. Sunset Magazine, 9 May 2022 See all Example Sentences for amaze 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English amasen, from Old English āmasian, from ā- (perfective prefix) + *masian to confuse — more at abide

Noun

derivative of amaze entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of amaze was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near amaze

Cite this Entry

“Amaze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amaze. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

amaze

verb
ə-ˈmāz
amazed; amazing
: to surprise or astonish greatly : fill with wonder
amazingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on amaze

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!