astonishing

adjective

as·​ton·​ish·​ing ə-ˈstä-ni-shiŋ 

: causing a feeling of great surprise or wonder : surprising

an astonishing discovery

astonishingly

ə-ˈstä-ni-shiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• amazing
• astounding
• blindsiding
• dumbfounding
• dumfounding
• eye-opening
• flabbergasting
• jarring
• jaw-dropping
• jolting
• shocking
• startling
• stunning
• stupefying
• surprising

Examples of astonishing in a Sentence

He showed an astonishing lack of concern for others.

The truck can hold an astonishing amount of stuff.

She gave an astonishing performance in her first film.

Recent Examples on the Web

When Salomon rebuilt the Stance 96 last year, the iconic French brand redirected its focus toward off-piste freeride terrain with astonishing success. —Outside Editors, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024

Economic concerns especially drove his astonishing inroads with young and minority voters. —Larry Diamond, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024

And that realization opened up some astonishing possibilities. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024

But as a demonstration of the musical intelligence that Jones and Jackson commanded together in the studio, the album’s astonishing opener — again with the opener! —Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of astonish

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined above