dumbfounded
Americanadjective
verb
Etymology
Origin of dumbfounded
Explanation
When you're dumbfounded, you're amazed. Being dumbfounded is an extreme form of being surprised or caught off guard. Being dumbfounded is not something that happens every day: this is a word that means something similar to astonished and gobsmacked. Only things that are extraordinary can dumbfound you. This word plays on an older meaning of dumb that means unable to speak. When you're dumbfounded, you're so astounded and shocked that you can't even speak. Save this word for occasions that are truly unusual and amazing.
Vocabulary lists containing dumbfounded
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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.
"People are simply dumbfounded and finding it very hard to fathom the scale of this tragedy," Australia's Governor-General Sam Mostyn, who represents King Charles, said at a press conference on Wednesday.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
Huckabee, however, appeared dumbfounded: “I’m totally unable to process what you’re trying to get at.”
From Slate ● Feb. 25, 2026
American skater Nathan Chen, the Beijing men's individual gold medallist, was dumbfounded, saying: "What a shock".
From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026
He said the volatility in recent weeks has left him and other investors feeling “awestruck and dumbfounded at times.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026
Newt had read the message aloud for those who couldn’t see the paper, but instead of erupting in confusion, the Gladers all stood dumbfounded.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
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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.
