aghast

Examples

• All

• Arnold stares at his terminal, aghast, as row upon row of colored lights crawl off his screen.

  Fiction book (1993)

• Rita and Larry videotape the incident, aghast at Phil's insane attack.

  Fiction book (1993)

• I am aghast at this.

  Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)

• All France is aghast at this book, yet you've not heard of it?

  Quills (2000)

• "You didn't tell me this?" she asked, aghast, for we were truly friends, not just business friends.

  Fiction book (1997)

• All heads in the elevator turn, aghast, to look, and those near Norville shrink away.

  Fiction book (1994)

• The archaeological community was aghast as news of imminent closings spread.

  Academic text (2005)

• The two men watched, aghast, as she wended her way across the dimly lit room.

  Fiction book (1991)

• Now Rex watched, aghast, as Addie and the bitch exchanged soulful glances of mutual understanding.

  Fiction book (1998)

• "Aivas said?" "You didn't tell Aivas that?" Jancis was aghast at Piemur's tactlessness.

  Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

S

shocked

vsaghast

543 2.1

Feeling surprised and upset because something bad or unexpected happens

adds stronger horror or amazed disbelief beyond mere surprise

A

amazed

vsaghast

138 1.0

Very surprised in a way that shows wonder

adds a fearful or horrified reaction to that sudden wonder

H

horrified

vsaghast

35 2.8

Feeling very shocked and upset because something is terrible or frightening

leans more toward amazement or stunned surprise alongside the shock

A

appalled

vsaghast

28 5.6

Shocked and upset by something bad or wrong

combines that horror with also feeling amazed or stunned

A

astonished

vsaghast

21 2.7

Feeling very surprised by something unexpected or hard to believe

is similar but often feels fear or horror in addition to surprise

F

flabbergasted

vsaghast

9 6.7

Very surprised and unable to speak

adds darker horror or fearful consternation to the stunned feeling

A

awestruck

vsaghast

9 6.2

Feeling great wonder and respect, often silent

leans more toward shocked horror as well as amazed consternation

D

dumbfounded

vsaghast

7 4.6

Very surprised and unable to speak

is like that silence but often mixed with horror or disbelief

A

astounded

vsaghast

7 3.8

Very surprised and unable to believe what happened

shares amazement but also carries a frightened or horrified quality

D

dumbstruck

vsaghast

5 6.5

So shocked that you cannot speak

shares speechless shock but also includes strong horror or amazement

T

thunderstruck

vsaghast

5 7.0

Very surprised and unable to speak or move

includes that frozen astonishment plus a stronger sense of horror

A

agape

vsaghast

3 6.9

Having the mouth open because of surprise or wonder

is similar facially but includes a frightened or shocked emotional core

D

dismayed

vsaghast

2 4.3

Feeling shocked and disappointed when something unexpected happens

is more about powerful horror or amazed shock than worry

H

horror-struck

vsaghast

1 7.2

So shocked and afraid that you cannot move

adds a note of amazement to the pure horror response

H

horror-stricken

vsaghast

1 7.2

Feeling very shocked and afraid after seeing something frightening

includes horror plus a sense of surprised wonder rather than only fear

G

gobsmacked

vsaghast

• UK

1 8.6

Very surprised and unable to speak

matches intense surprise but often adds fearful horror as well

T

transfixed

vsaghast

6.7

Unable to look away and to move because you feel very surprised or amazed

is similar but stresses strong horror or startled amazement rather than stillness

Antonyms

U

unfazed

5 5.3

Not worried or surprised by a sudden problem

How Shocked

distraught

86 7.2

horrified

35 2.8

aghast

16 7.2

shocked

543 2.1

startled

3.3

Surface Forms

Etymology