dumb
25
5.2
- adjective
- /dʌm/
- NSFW
- The parishioners sat dumb and paralyzed in their uncertainty; they couldn't fathom what had happened to them.
- struck dumb
Examples
-
You are struck dumb by my naivety, Dr. Alfred.
-
And I have been dumb, saying that.
-
Have you all been struck dumb?
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I have become temporarily dumb because there is so much to be said and the issues are too big.
Academic text (2013) -
Suddenly, the boy was struck dumb; he trembled and began to run on his hands and feet.
Academic text (1998) -
"Amy was struck momentarily dumb by Mandy's speech and then, 'Mandy,' she said softly, 'I think you're wonderful.'"
Fiction book (1991) -
She was struck dumb when she heard the unexpected news.
-
After witnessing the surprise party, he stood there dumb with astonishment.
-
In the face of such staggering information, I could only sit there, dumb and speechless.
Synonyms
197
3.0
Too shocked to move or think clearly
57
3.1
Unable to speak for a short time because you feel very surprised or shocked
38
4.8
Not able to think and act clearly after a shock or when very tired
20
4.6
Very surprised and unable to speak
11
1.6
Unable to think clearly for a short time because of shock or exhaustion
5
6.5
So shocked that you cannot speak
5
7.0
Unable to think or react after a sudden shock
So shocked that you cannot speak for a short time
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
- Specialized
1
5.1
An explosive dropped from a plane that falls by gravity without guidance
1
8.6
A common houseplant with large green leaves that can make your mouth and throat swell if eaten
How Speechless
Surface Forms
Etymology
Dumb can also mean 'unable to speak for a short time'. This sense comes from the same old idea of being 'silent', so being struck 'dumb' means being made speechless by shock or surprise.