astound
verb (used with object)
to overwhelm with amazement; astonish greatly; shock with wonder or surprise.
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cdr Spindler said the response from the public had been "astounding".
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2012