Astound
To fill with wonder or surprise; to astonish greatly or shock someone.
verbAstound
To fill with wonder or surprise; to astonish greatly or shock someone.
verbImagine This
Imagine hearing jaw-dropping news or watching a magic trick so unbelievable that your mouth falls open and you stand speechless in awe.
Sounds Like
uh-STAWND
Looks Like
astonish
Remember This
Astound implies a strong, overwhelming sense of surprise or shock—stronger than simply 'amaze' or 'astonish' in many contexts.
Other Forms
Connect With
astonish, amaze, surprise, stun, shock
Note
Astound is transitive (it acts on a person or group: 'The performance astounded the crowd.'). The past participle form 'astounded' is common in passive or adjectival use (e.g., 'They were astounded by the result.'). Do not confuse with the archaic or less-used 'stound' on its own.
Study Deeper
- The magician's finale astounded the audience.
- Scientists were astounded by the unprecedented results of the study.
From Middle English astounden, formed with the prefix a- (to) and stound (a sudden shock or blow; a moment of astonishment). First used in the 14th century to mean to strike with a sudden surprise.
Mnemonic: A-stunned — think of 'a-stunned' as being struck with a sudden shock; when something astounds you, you are literally a-stunned.
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verbTo give up completely, to desert or leave behind, or to relinquish a claim, plan, or responsibility.
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