wonder

[ wuhn-der ]

/ ˈwʌn dər /

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See synonyms for: wonder / wondered / wondering / wonders on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to think or speculate curiously: to wonder about the origin of the solar system.

to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe; marvel (often followed by at): He wondered at her composure in such a crisis.

to doubt: I wonder if she'll really get here.

verb (used with object)

to speculate curiously or be curious about; be curious to know: to wonder what happened.

to feel wonder at: I wonder that you went.

noun

something strange and surprising; a cause of surprise, astonishment, or admiration: That building is a wonder. It is a wonder he declined such an offer.

the emotion excited by what is strange and surprising; a feeling of surprised or puzzled interest, sometimes tinged with admiration: He felt wonder at seeing the Grand Canyon.

miraculous deed or event; remarkable phenomenon.

OTHER WORDS FOR wonder

1 conjecture, meditate, ponder, question.

5 marvel.

7 surprise, astonishment, amazement, bewilderment, awe.

See synonyms for wonder on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about wonder

for a wonder, as the reverse of what might be expected; surprisingly: For a wonder, they worked hard all day.

Origin of wonder

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English wundor; cognate with Dutch wonder, German Wunder, Old Norse undr; (verb) Middle English wonderen, Old English wundrian, derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM wonder

won·der·er, nounwon·der·less, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use wonder in a sentence

Every time you tweet or post about this amazing cafe or the shampoo that did wonders to your hair, your social media followers see it and might be moved to try it as well.
How social media influence 71% consumer buying decisions|Aleh Barysevich|November 20, 2020|Search Engine Watch
It’s no wonder, then, that Apple came knocking at Whye’s door.
Exclusive: Apple hires Intel’s Barbara Whye as its new head of diversity|Michal Lev-Ram, writer|November 19, 2020|Fortune
Marketers have seen the wonders of AI when it comes to understanding email users, so it was only a matter of time before it became a household tool in email marketing.
Email marketing in 2020: Four key things that made the difference|Toby Nwazor|November 19, 2020|Search Engine Watch
No wonder powerful political action committees are devoting hundreds of millions of dollars and plenty of attention to the Georgia Senate runoffs.
The race to get Georgia’s 23,000 17-year-olds registered to vote|Tanya Basu|November 15, 2020|MIT Technology Review

It’s no wonder the SEC is having trouble, no wonder Maryland won’t be able to play Ohio State in the Big Ten, no wonder California can’t get its season started in the Pac-12.
Sports were a distraction from the pandemic. Now they’re being battered by it.|Jerry Brewer|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
The child who was made a wonderer and a problem finder by God is made a problem solver by teachers.
Dickens As an Educator|James L. (James Laughlin) Hughes
Of all the wonderful things God hath made, man the wonderer is himself the most wonderful.
A Man's Value to Society|Newell Dwight Hillis
I remember meeting another Wonderer in the house of a friend of mine with whom I had intended to spend part of the evening.
Talkers|John Bate
But widen though his impulses might, the latent hunter and wanderer and wonderer in his imagination outstripped their development.
The World Set Free|Herbert George Wells
This wonderer in America is, if possible, more ludicrous than in England.
Talkers|John Bate

British Dictionary definitions for wonder (1 of 2)

wonder

/ (ˈwʌndə) /

noun

the feeling excited by something strange; a mixture of surprise, curiosity, and sometimes awe

something that causes such a feeling, such as a miracle

See Seven Wonders of the World

(modifier) exciting wonder by virtue of spectacular results achieved, feats performed, etca wonder drug; a wonder horse

do wonders or work wonders to achieve spectacularly fine results

for a wonder surprisingly or amazingly

nine days' wonder a subject that arouses general surprise or public interest for a short time

no wonder (sentence connector) (I am) not surprised at all (that)no wonder he couldn't come

small wonder (sentence connector) (I am) hardly surprised (that)small wonder he couldn't make it tonight

verb (when tr, may take a clause as object)

(when intr, often foll by about) to indulge in speculative inquiry, often accompanied by an element of doubt (concerning something)I wondered about what she said; I wonder what happened

(when intr, often foll by at) to be amazed (at something)I wonder at your impudence

Derived forms of wonder

wonderer, nounwonderless, adjective

Word Origin for wonder

Old English wundor; related to Old Saxon wundar, Old Norse undr, German Wunder

British Dictionary definitions for wonder (2 of 2)

Wonder

/ (ˈwʌndə) /

noun

Stevie. real name Steveland Judkins Morris. born 1950, US Motown singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. His recordings include Up-Tight (1966), "Superstition" (1972), Innervisions (1973), Songs in the Key of Life (1976), and "I Just Called to Say I Love You" (1985)

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with wonder

wonder

In addition to the idiom beginning with wonder

wonders will never cease

also see:

for a wonder
no wonder
work wonders

wonder

OTHER WORDS FOR wonder

Idioms about wonder

Origin of wonder

OTHER WORDS FROM wonder

Words related to wonder

How to use wonder in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wonder (1 of 2)

Derived forms of wonder

Word Origin for wonder

British Dictionary definitions for wonder (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with wonder