Skip to main content
astounding

astounding

92 4.1
So surprising and impressive that you feel amazed
  • adjective
  • /əˈstaʊndɪŋ/
translation icon : asombroso
  • And her memory for details was astounding.
  • an astounding success
  • an astounding discovery
  • an astounding number

And to have consciousness is absolutely an astounding thing, right?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The magician's final trick was so astounding that the audience erupted in applause.

  • The number of apps and the rate at which they are hitting the market are astounding.

    Academic text (2013)
  • In many ways, it remains astounding to us still.

  • Never in my life have I heard such an astounding series of stories.

  • So this is really an astounding result.

  • The level of detail is astounding.

  • The number of reports is astounding.

  • The implications are astounding and worthy of the serious attention of all researchers in the field.

    Academic text (2002)
  • You've done a great job, an astounding job considering the limited resources available to you.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • So I think that she's an astounding example of a shining star of leadership right now.

Synonyms

amazing
vsastounding
1.0

Causing great surprise and admiration

is similar but stresses astonishment rather than simple admiration
incredible
vsastounding
3.5

Very surprising or hard to believe

inspires wonder without insisting on being unbelievable or impossible
remarkable
vsastounding
588 2.8

Unusual and easy to notice because it is different or surprising

is more emotionally charged, producing deeper wonder or astonishment
surprising
vsastounding
433 1.8

Causing surprise because it is not expected

is stronger, causing greater wonder and more intense astonishment
startling
vsastounding
103 5.0

Very surprising in a way that causes sudden shock

is more about lasting wonder rather than brief shock
miraculous
vsastounding
95 4.3

Very surprising and lucky in a way people cannot explain

causes wonder without suggesting a supernatural cause
stunning
vsastounding
83 4.1

Very surprising and having a strong effect on people

is broader, focusing on wonder rather than sudden shock
breathtaking
vsastounding
77 3.5

A very beautiful and surprising sight that amazes you

causes astonishment without focusing on physical breathless reaction
wondrous
vsastounding
60 5.8

Very impressive and causing strong surprise

is about surprise and impressiveness rather than positive goodness
mind-boggling
vsastounding
  • Informal
31 7.0

Very surprising or hard to understand

causes wonder yet focuses more on amazement than confusion
mind-blowing
vsastounding
  • Informal
28 5.1

So surprising and impressive that it changes how you feel or think

creates wonder but without the specific focus on mental shock
staggering
vsastounding
24 5.3

Very large and surprising in a way that shocks you

causes wonder without necessarily overwhelming or shocking completely
stupendous
vsastounding
19 6.7

Very large or impressive in a way that amazes people

causes astonishment more from surprise than from sheer size
awe-inspiring
vsastounding
16 5.6

Causes people to feel great respect and wonder because it is very impressive

provokes wonder without the specific feeling of reverent awe
astonishing
vsastounding
5 3.4

Very surprising and making you feel great wonder

is the same intense surprise but more general in tone
stupefying
vsastounding
1 7.7

So surprising and impressive that it leaves people stunned

creates astonishment but with less emphasis on overwhelming force
simply phenomenal
vsastounding
1 5.5

Very impressive and much better than you expect

creates astonishment but with less emphasis on exceptional status
boggling
vsastounding
1 7.5

Very surprising and hard to understand because it is unusual

evokes astonishment without highlighting the difficulty of understanding
dumfounding
vsastounding
8.4

So surprising that you cannot speak

provokes astonishment but not necessarily speechless amazement
dumbfounding
vsastounding
7.5

Causing someone to be unable to speak because they are very surprised

creates wonder but may keep people able to respond verbally
motherfreaking amazing
vsastounding
  • NSFW
9.9

Very impressive and surprising in a strong informal way

conveys astonishment more neutrally without strong informal emphasis

Antonyms

683 1.0

Normal and not special or unusual

20 3.5

Being ordinary and not interesting

How Surprising

staggering
24 5.3
astounding
92 4.1
astonishing
5 3.4
amazing
1.0
surprising
433 1.8

Surface Forms

astounding positive
astoundinger comparative
astoundingest superlative

Morphology

astounding = astound (transparent) = astound + ing

A straightforward adjectival/participial formation from the verb 'astound' with '-ing', so the meaning is directly derived from the base verb.

Etymology

The word astounding comes from astound, formed by a- plus the English word stun meaning 'to shock'. So something astounding 'stuns' you; it is so surprising or impressive that it leaves you amazed.