as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
everyone was thunderstruck when she quit her job without warning
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thunderstrike
Verb
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But head coach Alvaro Arbeloa surprised everyone by picking academy graduate David Jimenez at right-back.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026 -
Trollope wouldn’t have been surprised at Epstein’s rise and fall.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What amazed me the most was the remains of what appeared to be a tall conifer — possibly a cypress or cedar — on Edgar Street in Pacific Palisades, where the Palisades fire ravaged an entire street.—
Jeanette Marantos,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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In one camp Gao Sheng breaks a cultural norm by helping her father and uncles with a big project, amazing her relatives with her physical and mental strength.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Fennell likes to shock, and her newest film has successfully provoked many strong reactions.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
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Nancy Guthrie’s abduction from her home in the upscale Catalina Foothills north of Tucson, Arizona, shocked the nation.—
Michael Ruiz , Adriana James-Rodil,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The four-time overall World Cup champion stunned everyone by being a contender almost immediately.—
ANDREW DAMPF,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Monégasque team, led by Valentin Vacherot, stunned Bublik and Alexander Shevchenko in a 3-1 win, with Hugo Nys and Romain Arneodo triumphing over Bublik and Beibit Zhukayev in a nail-biting doubles rubber.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Twyla Tharp’s ballet Push Comes to Shove, which premiered in 1976, startled and delighted audiences with its coy, self-referential humor, and its flirtation with popular dance styles such as jazz and tango.—
Sara Krolewski,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
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After several chest compressions, Briana startled awake and cried.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Even some fellow Olympians are astonished.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Union leaders and hotel honchos were astonished to find Mayor Newsom out on the picket line, calling out the capitalists.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Thunderstrike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thunderstrike. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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