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slack-jawed

American

[slak-jawd] / ˈslækˈdʒɔd /

adjective

having the mouth open, especially as an indication of astonishment, bewilderment, etc.

Etymology

Origin of slack-jawed

slack jaw + -ed ³

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.

The litigation is the latest twist in a simmering behind-the-scenes scandal that has left much of Hollywood slack-jawed.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

He confidently illustrates what he’s deduced by drawing a grid on a whiteboard and yammering as his suspects and colleagues watch, slack-jawed.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2025

If all you’re offering your kid is a slack-jawed look bathed in phone glow, what are they learning about how to interact with humans?

From Slate • Nov. 16, 2024

And so Beverly watched her husband, who just days earlier had been walking and shopping at a farmers market, transformed into a slack-jawed, bed-wetting husk who asks her questions like “Where is my wife?”

From Seattle Times • Oct. 29, 2023

I was shuffling along like Ozzy, man, all slack-jawed, with one hand trailing the wall to maintain balance, tears streaming down my face.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

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