Synonyms

bowl over

British

verb

informal to surprise (a person) greatly, esp in a pleasant way; astound; amaze

he was bowled over by our gift
to knock (a person or thing) down; cause to fall over

"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

bowl over Idioms

Astonish, surprise greatly, overwhelm, as in I was simply bowled over by their wonderful performance. This term originated in cricket, where it means “to knock all the bails off the wicket.” [Mid-1800s]

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.

See Examples For:

bowl over

Start by whisking a few yolks with some lemon juice in a bowl over gently simmering water — you want steam, not direct heat.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2025

"Jimmy has the ability to bowl over the wicket and swing the ball both ways," 32-year-old Finn, who played 36 Tests, explained.

From BBC ● Dec. 15, 2021

Wisconsin owes its streak largely to its top-ranked defense’s knack for producing big plays and running back Braelon Allen’s ability to bowl over potential tacklers.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 17, 2021

Texas A&M could still win the SEC West if it wins out and Alabama loses, but it is most likely playing for a second straight New Year’s Six bowl over the next month.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2021

Instead she brought the bowl over to him.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023