amazement
Americannoun
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overwhelming surprise or astonishment.
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Obsolete.
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stupefaction; frenzy.
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noun
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incredulity or great astonishment; complete wonder or surprise
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obsolete bewilderment or consternation
Etymology
Origin of amazement
Explanation
Amazement is what you feel when you're shocked or astonished by something. When you feel amazement, you can't quite believe what you're seeing or hearing. To amaze someone is to shock, surprise, and astonish them. Amazement is the emotion produced by truly unusual and surprising things. A juggler throwing around fire can produce amazement. A child reciting thousands of digits of Pi will create amazement. Parents feel amazement at the birth of their children. This is a strong feeling resulting from incredible events. No one feels amazement about average, boring stuff.
Vocabulary lists containing amazement
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 2
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"The Tempest," Vocabulary from Acts 1 and 2
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"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 3
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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.
Throughout human history eclipses have stirred amazement, fear and reverence, as they appear to momentarily halt the normal course of nature.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Rev Jane Lee said she and a lay minister were preparing for morning prayers when they discovered a plastic bag with a box which "to our amazement" contained nine gold Britannia coins inside.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Told that I was watching a 20-part series with Tom Hanks about World War II, a friend reacted with something short of amazement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
“So I’m a little in amazement about just the way life works in that sense.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
Penelope took the mug and continued to stare in amazement at the contents of the trunk.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
