1 astonishment | Definition of astonishment
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astonishment

noun
as·​ton·​ish·​ment | \ ə-ˈstĂ€-nish-mənt How to pronounce astonishment (audio) \

Definition of astonishment

1a : a feeling of great surprise and wonder : the state of being astonished : amazement The garden's beauty filled me with astonishment.
b : consternation
2 : something that astonishes : a cause of amazement or wonder Everything that he had seen so far 
 had been so astonishing that he began to wonder whether there could possibly be any more astonishments left.— Roald Dahl
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Synonyms for astonishment

Synonyms

admiration, amazement, awe, wonder, wonderment

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Examples of astonishment in a Sentence

The garden's beauty filled me with astonishment. A crowd watched in astonishment as he jumped from the bridge. They discovered to their astonishment that their car had been stolen. Much to the astonishment of her friends and family, she left school to pursue her acting career.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 The thoughtfulness with which Schulz examines humanity does not expire and does not cease to provoke astonishment (much like Lucy’s ongoing charade with the football). — Nicole Rudick, The New Yorker, "How “Peanuts” Created a Space for Thinking," 6 Aug. 2019 To the network’s astonishment, several of them clicked with viewers. — Mark Dawidziak, cleveland.com, "‘Seinfeld,’ ‘Mad Men’ and other summer starters that turned into red-hot hits," 2 Aug. 2019 One of the astonishments of these times is just how large a half-century has become. — David Von Drehle, Twin Cities, "David Von Drehle: Digging into our planet’s history," 22 July 2019 This past week, much to my astonishment, a half-sister was identified. — Amy Dickinson, The Denver Post, "Ask Amy: Woman fears running into her hometown abuser," 29 July 2019 This past week, much to my astonishment, a half-sister was identified. — Amy Dickinson, BostonGlobe.com, "Woman fears running into her hometown abuser," 29 July 2019 This past week, much to my astonishment, a half-sister was identified. — Ask Amy, oregonlive.com, "Ask Amy: Website unearths half-sibling, a secret their parents took to the grave," 29 July 2019 This past week, much to my astonishment, a half-sister was identified. — Amy Dickinson, The Mercury News, "Ask Amy: Should I reveal the secret my parents took to their graves?," 29 July 2019 This past week, much to my astonishment, a half-sister was identified. — Amy Dickinson, chicagotribune.com, "Ask Amy: Woman fears running into her hometown abuser," 29 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'astonishment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of astonishment

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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More Definitions for astonishment

astonishment

noun
How to pronounce astonishment (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of astonishment

: a feeling of being very surprised

See the full definition for astonishment in the English Language Learners Dictionary

astonishment

noun
as·​ton·​ish·​ment | \ ə-ˈstĂ€-nish-mənt How to pronounce astonishment (audio) \

Kids Definition of astonishment

: great surprise or wonder : amazement We watched in astonishment.

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More from Merriam-Webster on astonishment

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with astonishment

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for astonishment

Spanish Central: Translation of astonishment

Nglish: Translation of astonishment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of astonishment for Arabic Speakers

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