variants
also dumfound
as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
the surprise ending will dumbfound even the most seasoned mystery reader
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dumbfound
Photographs of Nahapetian at the film’s premiere dumbfounded a fair number of social media users, who had also mistaken the actor for a de-aged Phoenix after watching the trailer.
—
J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 26 Apr. 2023
Witnesses told The Times that spectators were dumbfounded.
—Rachel Uranga, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Apr. 2023
The TikTok hack that currently has people dumbfounded involves one of the most basic and useful kitchen tools—the potato peeler.
—Hollyanna McCollom, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2023
One Silicon Valley Bank employee, who requested anonymity to speak candidly, was dumbfounded by how Becker publicly acknowledged the extent of the bank’s financial troubles before privately lining up the necessary financial support to ride out the storm.
—Mark Thompson, CNN, 14 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for dumbfound
J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 26 Apr. 2023
Witnesses told The Times that spectators were dumbfounded.
—Rachel Uranga, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Apr. 2023
The TikTok hack that currently has people dumbfounded involves one of the most basic and useful kitchen tools—the potato peeler.
—Hollyanna McCollom, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2023
One Silicon Valley Bank employee, who requested anonymity to speak candidly, was dumbfounded by how Becker publicly acknowledged the extent of the bank’s financial troubles before privately lining up the necessary financial support to ride out the storm.
—Mark Thompson, CNN, 14 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for dumbfound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumbfound
Verb
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Jade King Carroll: Chisa creates characters and stories that continually surprise you.—
Jeryl Brunner,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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Financial and retirement experts who spoke to Newsweek were not surprised by the Transamerica findings, putting the blame largely on the ever-rising cost of living.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Read: Where science and miracles meet Pagels isn’t trying to shock the faithful.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
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Rockland County legislator Beth Davidson, a Democrat who is running to unseat Lawler in 2026, said communities in her district were shocked to find out the rug was pulled out from under them for important local priorities.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The science behind the process continues to amaze me.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
21 Mar. 2025
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Extraordinary craftsmanship that amazed even the architect.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The red-carpet looks which astonished us at recent Met Galas were worn for dramatic effect, but, quietly, vintage is being worn all the time, everywhere: a vintage bias slip with a 1970s Elsa Peretti Tiffany cuff, or a ’90s Helmut Lang heel, or, from now, Maison Margiela tabis.—
Amanda Harlech,
Vogue,
24 Mar. 2025
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Director Robert Hastie and choreographer Jenny Arnold keep the quintet of actors in such constant motion, rife with genre winks and references, that I was astonished not to see Ben Stones’s crisp, transformable base costumes of pinstripes, suspenders, and ties soaked clean through by the finale.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In terms of other Disney live-action princess remakes, Beauty and the Beast astounded when opening to $174.6 million domestically in mid-March 2017, not adjusted for inflation.—
Pamela McClintock,
The Hollywood Reporter,
22 Mar. 2025
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What astounds, though, are the sculpture’s extraordinary eyes.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Elton John ‘flabbergasted’ and teary after Biden surprises him with medal More anti-LGBTQ+ bills passed into state law in the first four months of this year than at any other time in U.S. history, a Post analysis earlier this year found.—
Jennifer Hassan,
Washington Post,
20 June 2023
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The stadium negotiator was flabbergasted that the A’s had dodged both requests.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2023
Verb
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News coverage can’t prepare you for the stupefying endlessness of the destruction, nor for the metallic stench that seeps in through closed windows.—
Alex Ross,
The New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2025
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Even amid the stupefying information overload of Trump’s first week back in office, this is shocking.—
Jessica Winter,
The New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dumbfound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumbfound. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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