astonishing

[ uh-ston-i-shing ]

/ əˈstɒn ɪ ʃɪŋ /

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See synonyms for: astonishing / astonishingly on Thesaurus.com

adjective

causing astonishment or surprise; amazing: an astonishing victory; an astonishing remark.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of astonishing

First recorded in 1520–30; astonish + -ing²

OTHER WORDS FROM astonishing

as·ton·ish·ing·ly, adverbas·ton·ish·ing·ness, noun

Words nearby astonishing

Aston dark space, stone's throw, a, astonied, astonish, astonished, astonishing, astonishment, Astor, Astoria, astound, astounding

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use astonishing in a sentence

It’s astonishing we’re still at this point, given the progress we’ve made in every other area of physics.
An Unexpected Twist Lights Up the Secrets of Turbulence|David H. Freedman|September 3, 2020|Quanta Magazine
Her accomplishments are astonishing, and we probably don’t know about most of the products she worked on.
Your car is probably full of spiders|PopSci Staff|September 2, 2020|Popular-Science
That’s because the polar ice caps are melting at astonishing speed due to climate change, potentially opening up sea routes that used to be unnavigable for much of the year.
China’s diplomatic visit to Norway is a reminder of its Arctic ambitions|Annabelle Timsit|August 26, 2020|Quartz
To be clear, Jeffrey Katzenberg’s streaming service has been an astonishing flop.
‘They got the memo’: Quibi changes tone, tact after failed debut|Tim Peterson|August 12, 2020|Digiday

Behind all this is the astonishing, baffling breadth of what sleep does for the body.
Why Sleep Deprivation Kills|Veronique Greenwood|June 4, 2020|Quanta Magazine
After Rosemary offers me some tea, I sit down on the couch with Downey Sr. to discuss his astonishing life, and career.
The Renegade: Robert Downey Sr. on His Classic Films, Son’s Battle with Drugs, and Bill Cosby|Marlow Stern|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was astonishing yesterday that he pinned the blame for the attacks on Mahmoud Abbas, the Fatah leader.
After the Israel Synagogue Massacre: A New Intifada?|Michael Tomasky|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Along with contorting, she also performs an astonishing balancing act.
How the Circus Got a Social Conscience|Justin Jones|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lepore has an astonishing story and tells it extremely well.
Wonder Woman’s Creation Story Is Wilder Than You Could Ever Imagine|Tom Arnold-Forster|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The most astonishing came from Ron and Mavis Pirola, a middle-aged Australian couple who have been together for 57 years.
The Vatican's Same-Sex Synod: The Bishops Hear About Reality. Do They Listen?|Barbie Latza Nadeau|October 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Really, he had made astonishing speed for one who had tunnelled his way underp.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
It is astonishing how much petting a big boy of ten can endure when he is quite sure that there is no one to laugh at him.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling
Bonaparte passed mount St. Bernard, among the Alps, after astonishing efforts.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Certainly some of the uses to which this mineral is now being put are sufficiently astonishing.
Asbestos|Robert H. Jones
Considering that Maude did not profess to love her husband very much, it was astonishing how keenly she felt this.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood

British Dictionary definitions for astonishing

astonishing

/ (əˈstɒnɪʃɪŋ) /

adjective

causing great surprise or amazement; astounding

Derived forms of astonishing

astonishingly, adverb

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

astonishing

Origin of astonishing

OTHER WORDS FROM astonishing

Words nearby astonishing

Words related to astonishing

How to use astonishing in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for astonishing

Derived forms of astonishing