stupefaction
Americannoun
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astonishment
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the act of stupefying or the state of being stupefied
Etymology
Origin of stupefaction
1535–45; < New Latin stupefactiōn- (stem of stupefactiō ) senseless state, equivalent to stupefact ( us ), past participle of stupefacere to stupefy + -iōn- -ion
Vocabulary lists containing stupefaction
The Turn of the Screw
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Pollyanna
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Selection Vocabulary 4, Unit 3
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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.
The glory in “Missa Solemnis” is that of stupefaction.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026
In malignant conflicts, the kind that leave everyone worse off, there is the thing we argue about endlessly, to the point of stupefaction.
From Washington Post • Dec. 8, 2022
If it’s a work setting and you’re trying to replicate the familiar, brain-dead stupefaction vibe of a professional meeting, you should consider wearing pants.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 22, 2020
Memes from the show have exploded on all platforms, repurposing the stars’ flamboyant styles, ironically adoring its layers upon layers of absurd taste, and sharing the stupefaction of falling into a seven-episode wormhole.
From The Guardian • Apr. 3, 2020
They stared at each other, he in delight, she in stupefaction.
From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck
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.
