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Synonyms

stunning

American  
[stuhn-ing] / ˈstʌn ɪŋ /

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 British  
/ ˈstʌnɪŋ /

adjective

  1. informal very attractive, impressive, astonishing, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

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. 

Other Word Forms

  • stunningly adverb

Etymology

Origin of stunning

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A stunning strike from substitute Boulbina with one minute of extra time remaining gave Algeria a 1-0 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in Rabat after an intense clash.

From Barron's

It includes two buildings on 1.34 acres, with a total of six bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and nearly 8,000 square feet, as well as stunning waterfront views.

From MarketWatch

But the company’s official response to the stunning turn of events has been poker-faced.

From Los Angeles Times

The drama of the night stood in contrast to the calm, beautiful morning as the city saw a stunning sunrise on Saturday.

From BBC

Joaquin Oviedo then completed the stunning comeback with three minutes left on the clock as Aucagne again slotted between the posts to seal the win in style.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.