1
as in amazed
affected with sudden and great wonder or surprise
realizing that they had been left out of the will, the billionaire's relatives just sat there, stunned
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bewildered
suffering from mental confusion
the loud noise left her momentarily stunned
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in dazed
to make senseless or dizzy by a blow
a powerful uppercut to the jaw stunned the boxer and sent him crashing to the canvas
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in surprised
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
the news of their boss's termination stunned the staff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stunned
Jamie L. Lareau, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
The woman shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis was a loving mother, a poet and a partner whose family – along with neighbors across her stunned city and strangers far beyond – is shocked by the circumstances surrounding her death.
—Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
As an 86-second exchange unfolded, Chez stood perfectly still, a stunned expression on his face, as his father screamed at him and cops ordered him to drop the box cutter more than a dozen times.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
The news over the weekend that Maduro had been captured left her stunned.
—Liz Crawford, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
Because climate change has warmed waters, Zerkelbach said the turtles can sometimes linger too long and become cold-stunned when waters drop below 50 degrees.
—Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
Outscoring the Broncos by 14 points in the second half, the Jaguars embraced the underdog role, turning Denver into its own personal chew toy before a stunned sellout crowd.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025
Video from the scene captured stunned reactions from nearby residents as the python was pulled from the palm tree.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
What truly stunned scientists, however, was its atmosphere.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Dec. 2025
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
With Jones looking born again, the Colts have stunned the football world by getting out to a 7-2 record, which puts them in first place in the AFC South and is the second-best record in the conference behind only the Denver Broncos.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
We were stunned by the strong cinematic language and the subtle atmosphere that this film conveys.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
For someone used to orchestrating cinematic shocks behind the scenes, Moore suddenly found himself on the receiving end of one, and fans were left stunned as the season’s power balance shifted.
—Terry Terrones, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2025
Demi Lovato, for instance, stunned at the 2025 LACMA Art + Film Gala held on November 1, 2025 — donning a strapless Salih Balta gown and six distinct, shoppable James Allen jewelry pieces (rings, necklace, tennis bracelet, and earrings included) that added to her princess-like aesthetic.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025
Earle-Sears’s blowout even stunned veteran operatives accustomed to Virginia’s blue tilt.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 6 Nov. 2025
In the final two, the Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers stunned FC Dallas and San Diego FC, respectively, with stoppage-time equalizers, then victories in shootouts.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The capital’s development over the past eight years, despite sanctions and the extreme isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic, stunned him.
—Will Ripley, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Farley, who looks stunned, examines it.
—Verb
However, her exit early into the show’s final season left fans stunned and wondering why.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for stunned
Adjective
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Jimmy Fallon was amazed that Charles said that to Kelce, and not just because the 6-foot-5 Kelce could have pounded the actor into a pulp.—
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All those economic experts will be amazed.—
Adjective
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Snook and Lacy, who display such sharp instincts in their best work, seem to have been directed to overact; cameras freeze on their exaggeratedly bewildered or angry or devastated expressions, putting exclamation points at the end of too many scenes.—
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Instead, a bewildered stranger answers the door.—
Verb
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Eleven, the show’s telekinetic heroine, who grew up in a lab, became dazed by the number of clothing options at the Gap.—
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Firefighters were trying to put out flames, others were trying to find victims inside, Sanford's truck was still there and church members who'd just survived the horror were on the lawn, dazed.—
Verb
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Babz didn’t have much to worry about, as the Patriots surprised him with a 14-3 record, claiming the AFC East title.—
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Lucy Dacus surprised fans by bringing out Chappell Roan during a benefit concert for Sudan and Palestine relief efforts in Los Angeles.—
Adjective
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The mom of two could be seen typing and looking animatedly at her screen, appearing shocked.—
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Fans on social media are mostly excited (and a little shocked) at this latest bakery item.—
Adjective
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Goedert scored his second touchdown on a fourth-and-2 leaving a confused Malik Mustapha behind him in the left flat.—
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Yet many of its citizens feel both whiplashed and confused.—
Verb
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Pamela Anderson has rocked a bob for some time now, but her latest 'do includes pops of pastel pink.—
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That’s a huge decline from the 125 homicides that rocked the city in 2023.—
Verb
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The Royals lost 106 games in his first season but astonished the baseball world by making the playoffs in 2024.—
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Researchers studying the carcasses of bats in a cave system were astonished to find evidence that common rats have developed a method of catching and eating bats mid-flight—something previously unknown to science.—
Cite this Entry
“Stunned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stunned. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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