- present participle of astound.
astounding
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of astounding
Explanation
Astounding is an adjective that describes something bewildering, like the astounding sight of a dog walking on two legs. When something is astounding, you might find yourself unable to speak — after all, astounding comes from the Middle English word astouned, meaning "to stun." If you see something that's astounding, you might just stare and stare, speechless. Astounding also describes something so surprisingly impressive that it overwhelms, like the astounding news that you just won the lottery.
Vocabulary lists containing astounding
30 GRE Words Beginning with "A"
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Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (1865)
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Wolf Hollow
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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.
Why it’s worth seeing: While its subject matter is disturbing, the film offers an evenhanded look at the effects of trauma on a child, and Reeves delivers an astounding performance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck discuss what this deal signals about the astounding amounts of money being thrown around the relatively niche market of A.I. investment.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026
An astounding one-third to one-quarter of all fuel sold in Mexico may be illicit, according estimates cited by the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Stocks bottomed that March, down an astounding 56%, and began a relentless rally that was only upended, however briefly, by the Covid pandemic.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Whether or not they proved spirit intervention, Kate’s skills were astounding.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
