amaze
Americanverb (used with object)
-
amazes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
amazed,
past participle, past
-
amazing
present participle
-
to overwhelm with surprise or sudden wonder; astonish greatly.
It will never cease to amaze me how fast children grow.
She was amazed that someone could be serious about something so incredibly absurd.
- Synonyms:
- flabbergast, stun, dumbfound, astound
-
Obsolete. to bewilder; perplex.
verb (used without object)
-
amazes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
amazed,
past participle, past
-
amazing
present participle
noun
verb
-
to fill with incredulity or surprise; astonish
-
an obsolete word for bewilder
noun
Synonym Usage
See surprise.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
amazesimple
-
amazessimple
-
have amazedperfect
-
has amazedperfect
-
am amazingprogressive
-
are amazingprogressive
-
is amazingprogressive
-
have been amazingperfect progressive
-
has been amazingperfect progressive
Past
-
amazedsimple
-
had amazedperfect
-
was amazingprogressive
-
were amazingprogressive
-
had been amazingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of amaze
First recorded before 1000; from Middle English amasen, from Old English āmasian “to confuse, stun, astonish,” equivalent to a- 3, + unattested *masian “to confuse”; cf. maze ( def. )
Explanation
Things that amaze fill you with confusion and mystery — or they just impress you. Either way, amazing things make an impact. There are two main meanings to amaze. The first has to do with causing a feeling of puzzlement or awe. An impressive magician amazes people with tricks. Anything impressive can also amaze. A great basketball player might amaze you with a rim-rattling dunk or by hitting dozens of free throws in a row. Things that amaze also astound, astonish, and impress. Amazing things are also awesome: in the old of sense "causing awe" and the recent sense of "really cool."
Vocabulary lists containing amaze
Mother's Day Words: What Mothers Do
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Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
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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.
See Examples For:
“I believe that stories have an important role to play in the formation of human beings,” Miyazaki once said, “that they can stimulate, amaze and inspire their listeners.”
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026
"It never ceases to amaze me how the density of the informational ecosystem was at the time".
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
Beneath the magnificent frescoes of the Clementine Hall, Pope Leo spoke in Italian to praise the power of cinema to entertain and to educate – and for its "capacity to amaze".
From BBC ● Nov. 15, 2025
Meagan’s awed expressions clearly demonstrated that as much as you know a place, you can always find more to amaze you.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025
“Dr. Westminster, you never cease to amaze me!” she exclaimed, and stepped inside, lifting her cloak high off the ground so as not to sweep the grain away from the birds.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
That these customers could resist the urge to step a few paces outside to see the real thing still amazes me 55 years later.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
"It amazes me that similar parenting behaviors have evolved so many times in so many distinct animal lineages," says Kay.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026
It amazes me that today's set-piece coach is lauded for goals scored, yet never criticised for set-play goals conceded by his team.
From BBC ● Nov. 23, 2025
“What always amazes me about this community is despite … the many, many times we have faced adversity, it’s the resilience of this group of amazing people,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2024
It amazes me slightly that it looks the same as it did, though it’s been looted of so many valuable things.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
"We were amazed to find that C. theotonicus grouped with extant placental mammals, being clearly distinct from other amniotes like reptiles or birds," said Gaetano.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026
She said she was amazed with how far she had come, but added: "I still suffer from backache to this day from sleeping on the sofa... and the floor."
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
“You will be amazed at how easy it is to save 15%” of your income, he says.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
"They are just amazed" by the daytime high temperatures under 30C and sea breezes, as well as the lack of crowds compared to tourist hotspots in southern Europe.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
“What amazed me,” Dorothy later remembered, “was how serene it was.”
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
"Thrilled to be driving around these amazing streets," Kirkwood said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
He made amazing receptions and dunked against anybody.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
"The Wicker Man is such a famous film and has such an impact on popular culture so it was amazing to be part of that world."
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
And as each of their five full-length albums replaced their previous as my new favorite record, I’ve been consistently surprised that more people aren’t constantly talking about this band and how amazing they are.
From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026
“Lots of residents have amazing stories,” the boy added.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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.
