astounding
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of astounding
Explanation
Astounding is an adjective that describes something bewildering, like the astounding sight of a dog walking on two legs. When something is astounding, you might find yourself unable to speak — after all, astounding comes from the Middle English word astouned, meaning "to stun." If you see something that's astounding, you might just stare and stare, speechless. Astounding also describes something so surprisingly impressive that it overwhelms, like the astounding news that you just won the lottery.
Vocabulary lists containing astounding
30 GRE Words Beginning with "A"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (1865)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Wolf Hollow
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
One cup of Man Cereal has an astounding seven grams of saturated fat.
From Salon • May 23, 2026
Patriots goalie Christopher Cortes had a heroic performance, stopping an astounding 24 shots — the last coming one second before the final horn.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
“It’s kind of astounding how much they’ve gone up.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026
"You had an astounding mortality rate of about 30 percent per voyage," Quezon said.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
In one astounding burst of creativity, her ability had gone far beyond her mother’s teaching.
From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry
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.
