ASTONISH

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (verb)

Verb forms

Present simple: I / you / we / they astonish ... he / she / it astonishes

Past simple: astonished

Past participle: astonished

-ing form: astonishing

Sense 1

Meaning:

Affect with wonder

Example:

Your ability to speak six languages amazes me!

Synonyms:

amaze; astonish; astound

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "astonish" is one way to...):

surprise (cause to be surprised)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "astonish"):

dazzle (amaze or bewilder, as with brilliant wit or intellect or skill)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

The good news will astonish her

The performance is likely to astonish Sue

Derivation:

astonishment (the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising)

Credits

Context examples:

Looking over his shoulder, I was equally astonished.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I can hardly believe, writing now long afterwards, but that I was actually present in these scenes; they are impressed upon me with such an astonishing air of fidelity.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

He introduced himself as Inspector Martin, of the Norfolk Constabulary, and he was considerably astonished when he heard the name of my companion.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I was again astonished, for he addressed himself to the question with the impartiality of the completest sanity; he even took himself as an example when he mentioned certain things.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

We were astonished at the ease with which the spar was lifted.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

In the meantime the astonished team-dogs had burst out of their nests only to be set upon by the fierce invaders.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

‘No,’ said I, considerably astonished at his words.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then the peasants were astonished, and said: Peasant, from whence do you come?

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

I an't the least astonished at it in the world, for I have often thought of late, there was nothing more likely to happen.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Still, as I ascended higher, the valley assumed a more magnificent and astonishing character.