astonishing
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- astonishingly adverb
- astonishingness noun
Etymology
Origin of astonishing
Explanation
Something astonishing is astounding, staggering, stupefying, amazing, or incredible. It's not something you see every day. This is a pretty strong word. A dog shaking hands is not astonishing, but a dog calling 911 for its owner definitely is. Astonishing things are amazing; they blow your mind. When people first walked on the moon, that was astonishing. Miracles are astonishing. If you say, "Holy cow! I can't believe what I'm seeing," you're probably seeing something astonishing.
Vocabulary lists containing astonishing
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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Nothing But the Truth
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Copper Sun
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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.
It’s also easy to think that Sandisk’s astonishing rally will also run out of steam soon—but it keeps defying that logic to look increasingly unstoppable.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
Floridians are paying an astonishing 47% more; Texans, 45% more; and North Carolinians, just over 40% more.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026
Every week it’s a more astonishing screwup, frequently without consequences for any lawyer who admits to error.
From Slate • Mar. 27, 2026
“It’s astonishing to me that the Dodgers have not taken it upon themselves, as this great community partner, to fix this problem,” Walker said.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
To produce a ton of the stuff, he had explained over his astonishing cocktail, cost next to nothing.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
