astonishment
Americannoun
-
overpowering wonder or surprise; amazement.
He looked with astonishment at his friends.
-
an object or cause of amazement.
noun
-
extreme surprise; amazement
-
a cause of amazement
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of astonishment
Explanation
Astonishment is what you feel when you're extremely surprised. If a cat stood up and recited the Preamble to the Constitution, you’d stare in astonishment. Astonishment is the feeling of being blown away and shocked by something. It’s the noun form of astonish, which is a verb meaning, basically “to have your mind blown.” A professional magician aims to create astonishment. A basketball player who hits every three-point shot might make fans feel astonishment. Many people feel astonishment when looking at something like the Grand Canyon. This is a strong word that shouldn't refer to minor surprises. True astonishment is rare.
Vocabulary lists containing astonishment
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 6
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Bet" by Anton Chekhov
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Or, perhaps, the astonishment should be at how easy it often has been to underestimate one so young.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
If you want to bring back old-fashioned pamphleting, your nearest print shop will be delighted to help, just as soon as they get over their astonishment.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
Admire some of them, sure; watch with bated breath and then scream in astonishment when they pull off some amazing feat or another, absolutely.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
To widespread astonishment and anger, Balogun's ban was suspended and he was allowed to play.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
I turned away from him, toward the window, so he wouldn’t see the astonishment on my face.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
