dumbfounded

American  

[duhm-foun-did, duhm-foun-] / dʌmˈfaʊn dɪd, ˈdʌmˌfaʊn- /

Or dumfounded

adjective

1. speechless with amazement; astonished or showing astonishment.

   I smiled at the dumbfounded look on their faces as their eyes widened and their mouths fell slack.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of dumbfound.

Etymology

Origin of dumbfounded

dumbfound ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

When you're dumbfounded, you're amazed. Being dumbfounded is an extreme form of being surprised or caught off guard. Being dumbfounded is not something that happens every day: this is a word that means something similar to astonished and gobsmacked. Only things that are extraordinary can dumbfound you. This word plays on an older meaning of dumb that means unable to speak. When you're dumbfounded, you're so astounded and shocked that you can't even speak. Save this word for occasions that are truly unusual and amazing.

Example Sentences

And though some of the names listed have since been implicated in his crimes, or at least knew about his conviction, many others were dumbfounded to be mentioned at all because they’d never met Epstein.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Huckabee, however, appeared dumbfounded: “I’m totally unable to process what you’re trying to get at.”

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

American skater Nathan Chen, the Beijing men's individual gold medallist, was dumbfounded, saying: "What a shock".

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

“Whether owing to that striking optimism or some other loftier force at work,” said family member Gregory Small, she had survived with pancreatic cancer for 12 years, a feat that left her doctors dumbfounded.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2025

"They're going to breach the ship," Venkat said, still dumbfounded.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir