stun

American  

[stuhn] / stʌn /

verb (used with object)

stunned, stunning

1. to deprive of consciousness or strength by or as if by a blow, fall, etc..

   The blow to his jaw stunned him for a moment.

2. to astonish; astound; amaze.

   Her wit stunned the audience.

3. to shock; overwhelm.

   The world was stunned by the attempted assassination.

4. to daze or bewilder by noise.

   Synonyms:

   stupefy

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verb (used without object)

1. to cause astonishment or amazement.

   She stunned in a black and silver beaded gown, accessorized with a sparkly clutch.

noun

1. the act of stunning.

2. the condition of being stunned.

stun British  

/ stʌn /

verb

1. to render unconscious, as by a heavy blow or fall

2. to shock or overwhelm

3. to surprise or astound

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noun

1. the state or effect of being stunned

Related Words

See shock ¹.

Etymology

Origin of stun

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English stonen, stunen (verb), from Old French estoner “to shake, make resound”; see astonish

Explanation

To stun is to knock unconscious or to shock. So getting hit in the head with a softball will stun you, but hearing that your favorite band is playing at the prom will also stun you. If your cat catches a mouse, it may only stun the little animal and give you a chance to set it free. Being knocked hard enough in the head is generally what it takes to physically stun a person. It's more common for something that's astonishing to stun you, whether it's hearing terrible news or seeing something amazingly beautiful, like the northern lights or the Grand Canyon. Stun, in fact, shares a root with astonish.

Example Sentences

Set Phasers on Stun: In an interview with The New York Times, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, among the cast of thousands seeking the GOP presidential nomination, boldly went where no candidate has gone before.

From US News • Jul. 24, 2015

Stun guns - better known as Tasers, named after their manufacturer, Taser International - shoot two darts connected to wires.

From Washington Times • Dec. 13, 2014

Canadiens Stun the Bruins The biggest surprise of the first week of the playoffs was the Montreal Canadiens winning the first two games of their series in Boston.

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2011

They called their game the Run ’N’ Stun, and they were not afraid.

From Washington Post

He flicks his wrist and his Stun Stick becomes a giant ax.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

Related Words

• amaze
• astonish
• astound
• bemuse
• bewilder
• confound
• confuse
• daze
• dumbfound
• flabbergast
• knock out
• overcome
• overpower
• overwhelm
• paralyze
• rock
• shake up
• surprise