stunning

[stuhn-ing]

adjective

1. causing, capable of causing, or liable to cause astonishment, bewilderment, or a loss of consciousness or strength.

   a stunning blow.

   Synonyms: astounding, numbing

2. of striking beauty or excellence.

   What a stunning dress you're wearing!

stunning

/ ˈstʌnɪŋ /

adjective

1. informal,  very attractive, impressive, astonishing, etc

Other Word Forms

• stunningly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of stunning¹

First recorded in 1660–70; stun + -ing ²

Example Sentences

A flying Rees-Zammit, back in red after his failed foray into the NFL, produced a stunning finish for a late consolation try before Clarke grabbed his second to take New Zealand past 50 points.

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The visit capped Bin Salman’s stunning redemption arc from the nadir of his reputation seven years ago.

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It’s an approach that’s endeared him to his star collaborators and yielded songs as deep as Adele’s “To Be Loved,” a stunning meditation on the costs of divorce from her 2021 album “30.”

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Head's heroics came on the back of a blistering spell from marauding pace pair Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc after lunch that sparked a stunning England collapse.

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At first, L.A. was a terrific place for the shutdown, because we could walk each day in the beautiful sunshine, which I no longer minded one bit, to a stunning view of the coast.

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Related Words

• brilliant 
• dazzling 
• devastating 
• gorgeous 
• great 
• impressive 
• lovely 
• ravishing 
• remarkable 
• sensational 
• smashing 
• spectacular 
• striking 
• wonderful 

When To Use

What does stunning mean?

Stunning essentially means something or someone causes such a huge impact that you are stunned from pain or a wave of emotion.Stunning can describe something or someone that literally causes physical pain, as in The kickboxer suffered a stunning blow to her face. Stunning is also used figuratively to describe something or someone that overwhelms you emotionally or has the potential to overwhelm you emotionally, as in The acrobats performed a stunning routine of flips and cartwheels. Finally, stunning can also describe something or someone that is especially beautiful or marvelous, as in The actress wore a stunning dress to the red carpet. You might also use dazzling or gorgeous.Example: In a stunning act of arrogance, the dictator built a solid gold statue of himself and placed it in the city square.