stupefy

[stoo-puh-fahy, styoo-]

See more synonyms for stupefy on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), stu·pe·fied, stu·pe·fy·ing.

to put into a state of little or no sensibility; benumb the faculties of; put into a stupor.
to stun, as with a narcotic, a shock, or a strong emotion.
to overwhelm with amazement; astound; astonish.

Origin of stupefy

1590–1600; < Middle French stupefier ≪ Latin stupefacere to benumb, equivalent to stupe-, stem of stupēre to be numb or stunned + facere to make, do¹; see -fy

Related formsstu·pe·fied·ness

[stoo-puh-fahyd-nis, -fahy-id-, styoo-] /ˈstu pəˌfaɪd nɪs, -ˌfaɪ ɪd-, ˈstyu-/, nounstu·pe·fi·er, nounstu·pe·fy·ing·ly, adverbun·stu·pe·fied, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for stupefied

bewildered, stunned, puzzled, frozen, confounded, dumbfounded, confused, shocked, stumped, startled, overcome, numb, surprised, overwhelmed, astounded, floored, flabbergasted, astonished, dismayed, amazed

Examples from the Web for stupefied

Historical Examples of stupefied

She went slowly from the room, and he remained staring, stupefied.
The Fortune Hunter
Louis Joseph Vance
I was stupefied and desperate afterwards on hearing all that people told me.
My Double Life
Sarah Bernhardt
She was a foreigner, but spoke French so perfectly that I was stupefied.
My Double Life
Sarah Bernhardt
I must confess that I was stupefied with admiration for this plucky man.
My Double Life
Sarah Bernhardt
But she looked at the trees and was stupefied, for not a leaf was stirring.
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete
Emile Zola

British Dictionary definitions for stupefied

stupefy

verb -fies, -fying or -fied (tr)

to render insensitive or lethargic
to confuse or astound

Derived Formsstupefier, nounstupefying, adjectivestupefyingly, adverb

Word Origin for stupefy

C16: from Old French stupefier, from Latin stupefacere; see stupefacient

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

Word Origin and History for stupefied

stupefy

1510s (implied in past participle stupefact), from Middle French stupéfier, from Latin stupefacere "make stupid or senseless," from stupere "be stunned" (see stupid) + facere "to make" (see factitious).