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astonished

[uh-ston-ish]

verb (used with object)

to fill with sudden and overpowering surprise or wonder; amaze: Her easy humor and keen intellect astonished me.

Origin:
1525–35; Middle English astonyen, astonen, probably < dialectal Old French *astoner, Old French estoner < Vulgar Latin *extonāre, for Latin attonāre to strike with lightning, equivalent to ex- ex-¹, at- at- + tonāre to thunder; extended by -ish², perhaps reflecting Anglo-French *astonir < dialectal Old French

Related forms

as·ton·ished·ly, adverb

as·ton·ish·er, noun

su·per·as·ton·ish, verb

un·as·ton·ished, adjective

Synonyms
astound, startle, shock. See surprise.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Astonished is always a great word to know.

So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:

a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

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Example Sentences

The hold that fragrances can have on your being has always astonished me.

But the result of their efforts astonished the researchers, as it astonishes me.

Lewis demonstrated his air gun, which operated on compressed air, and it astonished them.

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The hold that fragrances can have on your being has always astonished me.

But the result of their efforts astonished the researchers, as it astonishes me.

Lewis demonstrated his air gun, which operated on compressed air, and it astonished them.

We waited with mounting suspense and were astonished by the results.

She held one up to the light, squinted at a filthy smudge-and was astonished to see ghostly faces staring back at her.

We in the science fiction community are astonished to see his minor masterpieces turned into unrecognizable fare.

Terry awoke this morning and looked out of his window he saw a sight that astonished him.

Foreign activists were astonished by the president's chutzpah.

Wilma has astonished meteorologists with its rapid intensification.

Today, scientists are astonished because the numbers are so low.

One day she was astonished at receiving a message from her son.

Schweid was astonished at how delicious it was, and even more astonished at his complete ignorance about this common seafood.

The researchers were astonished to find clocks ticking all over the fly's body-in the wings, the legs, the proboscis.

Then the ranger lights a match and the tiny dot of light magically spreads, illuminating a circle of astonished faces.

When the man arrived to appraise the radios, he was astonished by what he saw.

After entwining in midair, he returned her to the floor looking astonished.

Sniff picked another armload of fruits, swung down on a vine, and handed them to the astonished scientist.

The density of the streets, the noise and the rush of people, astonished her.

Turks were astonished by the appointment of a woman to such a powerful post in what remains a patriarchal society.

Tunisians were astonished when he said on television that he had only one testicle.

Babbage is astonished by the shoddiness of a so-called sting.

The sheer scale of the monuments astonished and humbled him.

Ten years ago landsmen and sailors were astonished at the.

The couple must have been incredible savers, said an astonished spokesman.

But as they broke open the boat's barrels and crates, they were astonished by the range of what.

One can hardly approach the question of the anthracite coal industry without being astonished at its extent and potential value.

When she announced the good news at a college faculty meeting, she was astonished at the response of a few faculty members:.

The brothers were astonished by their find, but it was not without precedent.

Clark were astonished yesterday to read that the once brilliant lawyer's.

Recent eager graduates of journalism are astonished to learn this.

Domestic macro people may have been more astonished by what happened.

They were astonished by the hitherto-unsuspected regularities they found.

First, you are astonished by the view-Saturn's golden rings, star clusters glittering.

Rogers's relatives were astonished when they realized the.

The young clergyman has vanished completely, so far as his astonished parishioners are concerned.

They visit the many boat-houses, so densely located hereabouts, and are greatly astonished to find them.

Slaveholders were genuinely astonished and dismayed.

What the anthropologist had to say astonished the crowd.

Even experienced wine drinkers are sometimes astonished to learn how widespread the use of chardonnay is.

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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

astonish

mid-14c., astonien, from O.Fr. estoner "to stun, daze, deafen, astound," from V.L. *extonare, from L. ex- "out" + tonare "to thunder" (see thunder); so, lit. "to leave someone thunderstruck." The modern form (influenced by English verbs in -ish, e.g. distinguish, diminish)

EXPAND

is attested from c.1530. Related: Astonishment.

"No wonder is thogh that she were astoned" [Chaucer, "Clerk's Tale"]

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"Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid."

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