1
as in amazement
the rapt attention and deep emotion caused by the sight of something extraordinary
the Midwesterner's astonishment at seeing the ocean for the first time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shock
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual
the suddenness of the thunderstorm left the picnickers in a state of astonishment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of astonishment
The prize caused a small ripple of astonishment, since both Anora and The Brutalist had been tipped.
—
Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2025
Some people, especially viewers blissfully detached from online discussion forums, will no doubt have received this information with shock and astonishment.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
Confidential and Memento, Pearce is, to the astonishment of many, celebrating his very first Oscar nomination this year, with his terrifying supporting turn in The Brutalist.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2025
In her episode, Roan recreates the cover of her 2023 album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, all while going long about her influences and her astonishment at her meteoric rise to stardom.
—James Factora, Them, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for astonishment
Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2025
Some people, especially viewers blissfully detached from online discussion forums, will no doubt have received this information with shock and astonishment.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
Confidential and Memento, Pearce is, to the astonishment of many, celebrating his very first Oscar nomination this year, with his terrifying supporting turn in The Brutalist.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2025
In her episode, Roan recreates the cover of her 2023 album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, all while going long about her influences and her astonishment at her meteoric rise to stardom.
—James Factora, Them, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for astonishment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for astonishment
Noun
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To no one’s amazement, Shohei Ohtani homered triumphantly in the Tokyo Series.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Mar. 2025
-
To our collective amazement, the RGB LEDs were able to create wholly recognizable color images.—
Ryan Waniata,
WIRED,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The college basketball world was in shock when USC Trojans women’s basketball star JuJu Watkins suffered a season-ending knee injury during the team’s March Madness game against Mississippi State earlier this week.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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This probably won’t come as much of a shock, but worrying incessantly can wreak havoc on your physical and mental health.—
Julia Ries,
SELF,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The admiration for Orbán comes from his unapologetic assault on the liberal values that have defined the West for generations.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
19 Mar. 2025
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Lee has expressed admiration for artists in our gallery’s roster, in particular Phyllida Barlow and Louise Bourgeois, and points of connection within our program.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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But her surprise engagement wasn't the biggest shock.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
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And the second round of the women’s tournament begins today after a first round that yielded few surprises seed-wise, although six teams — UConn, LSU, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas — scored more than 100 points for the first time in the history of the women’s NCAA tournament.—
Andrew Torgan,
CNN,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Abi is a special-needs child, and McConnell wanted to capture her wonderment at the world in a song.—
Josh Crutchmer,
Rolling Stone,
28 Feb. 2025
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Jon, meanwhile, holes up in his squalid quarters surrounded by takeout containers and dirty clothes while hooked onto a cheap-looking VR game that hardly inspires the wonderment in us it’s supposed to in him.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
14 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Astonishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/astonishment. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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