astonish

[ uh-ston-ish ]

/ əˈstɒn ɪʃ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR astonish ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to fill with sudden and overpowering surprise or wonder; amaze: Her easy humor and keen intellect astonished me.

Nearby words

Origin of astonish

1525–35; Middle English astonyen, astonen, probably < dialectal Old French *astoner, Old French estoner < Vulgar Latin *extonāre, for Latin attonāre to strike with lightning, equivalent to ex- ex-¹, at- at- + tonāre to thunder; extended by -ish², perhaps reflecting Anglo-French *astonir < dialectal Old French

SYNONYMS FOR astonish

astound, startle, shock. See surprise.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR astonish ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsas·ton·ished·ly, adverbas·ton·ish·er, nounsu·per·as·ton·ish, verbun·as·ton·ished, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for astonished

I was astonished by his work and very grateful that fate had thrown us together.
Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve's Epic Friendship and the Greatest Williams Story Ever Told|Marlow Stern|August 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was astonished at some of the figures you came up with, specifically about Jewish immigrants.
When New York City Hit Its Stride|Allen Barra|July 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
People were astonished by his impassioned speeches at separatist meetings.
The Kremlin’s Crazy Shock Troops|Oleg Shynkarenko|May 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The signed letter that Winnie got in return, thanking her for the present, was passed around the family with astonished reverence.
Prince George and the New Royal Baby Rules|Tom Sykes|April 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But what has astonished her this year, she says, is the firearm trend.
Baby Names: Gunning For Trouble?|Abby Haglage|February 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was astonished, for the door was locked, yet he felt relieved rather than alarmed.
The Romance of Leonardo da Vinci|Dmitry Sergeyevich Merezhkovsky
I stopped in to see her the other day, and I was astonished at the change which had taken place in a short time.
Friends and Neighbors|Anonymous
I stood looking at them, bewildered and astonished by Mademoiselle's loyalty.
The Crossing|Winston Churchill
He took off his hat, but was so astonished he could scarcely utter a greeting.
An Alabaster Box|Mary E. Wilkins Freeman and Florence Morse Kingsley
Fritz had recovered nerve enough to explain to the astonished station master that the King had changed his plans.
The Prisoner of Zenda|Anthony Hope

British Dictionary definitions for astonished

astonish

/ (əˈstɒnɪʃ) /

verb

(tr) to fill with amazement; surprise greatly

Word Origin for astonish

C15: from earlier astonyen (see astonied), from Old French estoner, from Vulgar Latin extonāre (unattested) to strike with thunder, from Latin tonāre to thunder

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for astonished

astonish

c.1300, astonien, from Old French estoner "to stun, daze, deafen, astound," from Vulgar Latin *extonare, from Latin ex- "out" + tonare "to thunder" (see thunder); so, literally "to leave someone thunderstruck." The modern form (influenced by English verbs in -ish, e.g. distinguish, diminish) is attested from c.1530.