dumbfounded 1 of 2

adjective

variants also dumfounded
1
as in stunned
affected with sudden and great wonder or surprise dumbfounded by the realization that he had just won the grand prize in the multistate lottery

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in amazed
filled with amazement or wonder dumbfounded visitors to the Grand Canyon

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dumbfounded

2 of 2

verb

variants also dumfounded
past tense of dumbfound
as in surprised
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected the surprise ending will dumbfound even the most seasoned mystery reader

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dumbfounded
Adjective
North wasn’t the only one feeling a little dumbfounded by De Niro’s involvement. — Shyla Watson, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026 Lopez stood on third base, dumbfounded, as Young fired the ball back to first base to complete the spectacular inning-ending double play. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Ron stops and stares ahead, dumbfounded, with a man’s shirt in his hand and blood running down his face. — Barry Levitt, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 Burke displayed a dumbfounded grin, then brought the stream to a close. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, what fascinates aspiring neurologist Makenzie Stovall is the idea that AI is trying to emulate the brain — an organ whose inner workings continue to leave researchers dumbfounded. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 O’Donnell’s dumbfounded silence at the impossible-to-grasp question speaks volumes. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 25 July 2026 She’s supposed to help only with menial tasks, but often ends up helping solve mysteries that leave the police dumbfounded. — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 20 June 2026 In 40 years covering South Florida sports, very few things have left me dumbfounded. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
The petition by the legal rights group — which will be appealed to a higher California court — left Laci’s mother dumbfounded and did little to shake her conviction that Peterson was guilty of the murders. — Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026 Those unfamiliar with the story will also be dumbfounded by the catalog of mistakes that not only put Stagg behind bars for 14 months, but allowed the real killer to roam free (and kill again) for another two years. — Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 3 June 2026 Employers are dumbfounded by the state’s restrictiveness. — Brendan Hellweg, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2026 James Hotchkiss / Reuters Carlos Rodriguez, outside in his robe, was dumbfounded by this show of brute force. — Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 14 Feb. 2026 The president’s vehement reaction and over-the-top attacks left some Republican senators dumbfounded. — Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 12 Feb. 2026 Warren herself is dumbfounded by the bizarre case of mistaken identity. — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026 Even though officials describe work release as a form of custody, the fact that Brom was getting a measure of freedom outraged and dumbfounded many legislators, law enforcement officials and members of the community with knowledge and memories of the horrific crime. — Matthew Stolle, Twin Cities, 29 Dec. 2025 But now that the project has been abruptly terminated, leaving veterans dumbfounded by the decision. — John Ramos, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumbfounded
  1. stunned
  2. amazed
  3. surprised
  4. shocked
  5. astonished
  6. startled
  7. dumbstruck
  8. bewildered
Adjective
  • Vehicles were buried, and some stunned survivors were caked in mud.
    — Shristi Kafle, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Debris hung from tree branches and wires, vehicles were buried and some stunned survivors were caked in mud.
    — Niranjan Shrestha, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of stunned
Adjective
  • Experts are amazed to see such progress in the humanoid robot industry.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • When ChatGPT came out in 2022, a lot of people were amazed at how human-like the bot was.
    — Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of amazed
Verb
  • Bruce Springsteen surprised the coastal crowd during Bleachers‘ show in Asbury Park to deliver a pair of nostalgic Jersey-centric songs on Friday night.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In this time, Lamb surprised some people by voting to ordain Gene Robinson, a gay man, as bishop in 2003.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of surprised
Adjective
  • The man who was shocked was taken to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan with life-threatening injuries.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • But something fascinating was happening behind the scenes, coinciding with the disaster that had sent Olin overseas and left her bandmates, Augustin and Nathan Slone — located in New York City — shocked.
    — Julius Miller, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocked
Adjective
  • Further stories illuminate emotional realities burrowed deep within enormously likeable characters, often moving the reader (or this reader anyway) to astonished tears.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
  • One that draws more approving thumbs-ups, creates more astonished grins, or pulls more phones from pockets for impromptu photographs and video—especially in stunning Verde Ermes metallic paint.
    — Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
Definition of astonished
Verb
  • Of those who were injured, officials said that many were hurt while falling down or hitting themselves against furniture after being startled by the earthquake while sleeping.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 23 Aug. 2026
  • There’s nothing worse than waking up in the middle of a super restful sleep cycle, whether you are startled by the neighbor’s dog or an unwanted text message.
    — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of startled
Adjective
  • And she is just completely dumbstruck by that.
    — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Lyons can be a brilliant agent of chaos, a person whose presence left castmates starstruck before her bluntness left them dumbstruck.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 13 July 2023
Definition of dumbstruck
Adjective
  • That bewildered shake of the head after Meyer's pitch in that video is not a rare occurrence for Raleigh this year.
    — Eno Sarris, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • On Douban, a popular Chinese movie-review platform, viewers piled on with mocking and bewildered comments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of bewildered

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Cite this Entry

“Dumbfounded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumbfounded. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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