astonishment

noun

as·ton·ish·ment ə-ˈstä-nish-mənt

Synonyms of astonishment

: a feeling of great surprise and wonder : the state of being astonished : amazement

The garden's beauty filled me with astonishment.

: consternation

: something that astonishes : a cause of amazement or wonder

Everything that he had seen so far … had been so astonishing that he began to wonder whether there could possibly be any more astonishments left.—Roald Dahl

Examples of astonishment in a Sentence

The garden's beauty filled me with astonishment. A crowd watched in astonishment as he jumped from the bridge. They discovered to their astonishment that their car had been stolen. Much to the astonishment of her friends and family, she left school to pursue her acting career.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Platts look on with astonishment when their idyllic 1970s neighborhood appears to be transported way back in time. — David Faris, TheWeek, 30 July 2026 The revelation itself becomes part of the artwork, shifting the experience from astonishment to reflection and encouraging a more critical examination of the assumptions that shape everyday life. — Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 To the astonishment of many a Bobhead, Dylan’s guitarist Doug Lancio was replaced in Santa Barbara by Julian Lage, the youngish jazz star known for his work with Gary Burton and John Zorn. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026 Talking naturally to an AI that understands context, remembers previous conversations and controls my house may have garnered astonishment and commentary. — New Atlas, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for astonishment

Word History

Etymology

astonish + -ment

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of astonishment was in 1566

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

astonishing

astonishment

astony

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Astonishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/astonishment. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

astonishment

noun

Synonyms of astonishment

Examples of astonishment in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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