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.
To the amazement of some, the crash site was bulldozed within days, which experts say destroyed potentially crucial evidence.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
To her amazement, she was selected for a tour last March, allowing her to bring up to two guests.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 4, 2026
Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith snagged a pass with one hand near the sideline, drawing audible amazement from the crowd of 104,168.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 15, 2025
The experts recall with amazement and appreciation the level of curiosity and celebrity he commanded in courtrooms across the Jim Crow South, charming even the bigoted lawyers and judges whose unjust rulings he challenged.
From Salon • Sep. 10, 2025
Brer and John Henry, Miss Sarah and Miss Rose—they were all staring in amazement, their jaws hanging open.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
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.
