astonishing

[uh-ston-i-shing]

adjective

1. causing astonishment or surprise; amazing.

   an astonishing victory; an astonishing remark.

astonishing

/ əˈstɒnɪʃɪŋ /

adjective

1. causing great surprise or amazement; astounding

Other Word Forms

• astonishingly adverb
• astonishingness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of astonishing¹

First recorded in 1520–30; astonish + -ing ²

Example Sentences

England crumbled to an astonishing two-day defeat in the first Test on Saturday and now have 12 days until the second Test in Brisbane.

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An explosive opening day of searing pace saw an astonishing 19 wickets tumble.

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Near the end an astonishing firework display in the Marseille section almost saw the match abandoned.

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What’s most astonishing about Lilly’s recent performance is that it isn’t the result of any one trial outcome, or positive earnings report.

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There were numerous calls of flooding in the city of Westminster, police said, where an astonishing 1.84 inches of rain fell in a single hour, between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• amazing 
• astounding 
• bewildering 
• breathtaking 
• extraordinary 
• impressive 
• marvelous 
• miraculous 
• spectacular 
• staggering 
• startling 
• striking 
• stunning 
• wonderful 
• wondrous