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
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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
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Recent Examples of astonishment
The flip side of that is the sense of astonishment at how the history that has been written about Dial does not reflect his actual achievement, and essentially, not only limits it but imagines things that don’t actually fit.
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Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2024
In the fall of 2016, the editors of The New Yorker published an enthusiastic endorsement of Hillary Clinton:
On November 8th, barring some astonishment, the people of the United States will, after two hundred and forty years, send a woman to the White House.
—The Editors, The New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2024
The two travelers from New Orleans touched their fingers to the reddish-orange chile powder on a napkin, put it on their tongues, and then looked at each other in astonishment.
—John Burnett, NPR, 21 Sep. 2024
Still, Hudson is like every mother, catching herself staring at her now teenager in astonishment.
—Essence, 19 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for astonishment 
Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2024
In the fall of 2016, the editors of The New Yorker published an enthusiastic endorsement of Hillary Clinton:
On November 8th, barring some astonishment, the people of the United States will, after two hundred and forty years, send a woman to the White House.
—The Editors, The New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2024
The two travelers from New Orleans touched their fingers to the reddish-orange chile powder on a napkin, put it on their tongues, and then looked at each other in astonishment.
—John Burnett, NPR, 21 Sep. 2024
Still, Hudson is like every mother, catching herself staring at her now teenager in astonishment.
—Essence, 19 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for astonishment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for astonishment
Noun
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Much to their amazement, those as far south as the Florida Keys and the Bahamas were able to bask in the colorful glowing light that radiated into the skies.Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 28 Dec. 2024
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To be a monkey’s uncle, figuratively, is to express surprise, disbelief, or amazement.Lillian Stone, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Cowboys' Jerry Jones Drops Major Hint At Future Of Mike McCarthy In Dallas By James Brizuela Contributing Sports Writer 0 The NFL world was dealt with quite a shock when the Dallas Cowboys decided to release running back Ezekiel Elliott.Paul du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025
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The video Ron shared shows reactions from some of the couple's four children — Bryce Dallas Howard, 43, twins Jocelyn and Paige, 39, and son Reed, 37 — as well as Bryce's husband Seth Gabel, who is shown holding his hands over his face in shock.Tommy McArdle, People.com, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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When the Grammys came up, Em didn’t hold back his admiration for Kendrick.Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 31 Dec. 2024
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There’s no lack of admiration on Bob Dylan’s part for any of the characters in this movie.Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Dec. 2024
Noun
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While none of the ices on their own are particularly unusual, the combination of them on Chiron is a surprise.Keith Cooper, Space.com, 23 Dec. 2024
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But for those who have followed Swift's career for a long time, her generosity comes as no surprise.Shannon Power, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The girls become kindred spirits, sharing secrets, wonderment, and several key world events.Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Dec. 2024
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Generally, the drama does spectacularly well with abiding by a primal sense of magical realism — the finding of wonderment in the banal and the insertion of banality into the wondrous.Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near astonishment
Cite this Entry
“Astonishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/astonishment. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
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