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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His shocking appearance seemed to even surprise his castmates, who looked at him with wide eyes and open mouths.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026 -
There’s deep, poetic honor in the grueling fight to rebuild a standard; to find the creative sparks and opportunism required to surprise the world again.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
Verb
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The imposing tower never ceases to amaze local resident Ogden Driskill, whose family has ranched on the land at its base for generations.—
Marnie Hunter,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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When Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the telephone at America’s Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, the invention amazed the crowd.—
David H. Hsu,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Din is shocked to discover the asset is a baby, Grogu.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
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Alexander pinned Slater for the win, completely shocking the fans in Sacramento, California.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Wild-eyed in a register that ranges from dreamy to terrified to stunned into submission, her performance is the most honestly felt thing here.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
18 May 2026
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Authorities discovered the bodies of a man who worked for Henry County, a woman and an infant in a McDonough home on Tuesday night, leaving the woman’s family devastated and the man’s coworkers within the county’s Department of Transportation stunned.—
Reed Williams,
AJC.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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On one occasion, a suckerfish was captured disappearing into a manta ray's backside after a diver swimming nearby appeared to startle it.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
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Avoid sudden movements or noises, which can startle animals.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The agents were astonished by how obvious Djena’s enslavement seemed to have been, and by the number of people who had failed to act.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Nordstrom has really sweet jewelry pieces at not-astonishing price points.—
Gina Vaynshteyn,
StyleCaster,
29 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Thunderstrike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thunderstrike. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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