astonish

/əˈstɑnɪʃ/

/əˈstɒnɪʃ/

Other forms: astonished; astonishing; astonishes

Things that might astonish you: the discovery of life on another planet, a death-defying performance, and the number of dinosaurs a six-year old child can name. To astonish is to amaze and astound.

Remember that astonish means more than surprised. It carries with it a feeling of being truly impressed. Astonish derives from the Latin tonare 'thunder.' When you are astonished, you're thunderstruck. If you plan to astonish someone, you might say before hand, "Wait until you see this. It's going to knock your socks off."

Definitions of astonish

1. verb

   affect with wonder
   synonyms: amaze, astound

   types:

   dazzle

   amaze or bewilder, as with brilliant wit or intellect or skill

   type of:

   surprise

   cause to be surprised