dumbfound
verb
transitive verb
Synonyms
- amaze
- astonish
- astound
- bowl over
- flabbergast
- floor
- rock
- shock
- startle
- stun
- stupefy
- surprise
- surprize
- thunderstrike
Example Sentences
Stephen Means, cleveland, 28 Aug. 2022 Americans this week have been dumbfounded by the unfathomable spectacle of Twitter’s senior management demonstrating responsibility. Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker, 29 May 2020 The new boss’s first extensive print interview as CEO left many inside Boeing dumbfounded and angry, said current and former employees. Julie Johnsson, Bloomberg.com, 12 May 2020 Longtime Brunswick attorney James Yancey said he was dumbfounded by Barnhill's conclusions. al, 7 May 2020 Blackwell was particularly dumbfounded by Spell’s decision to not file for the Paycheck Protection Program made possible by the $2.2 trillion stimulus package that was passed by Congress last month. Tanya A. Christian, Essence, 20 Apr. 2020 These two lucky people were eating out and were dumbfounded when a stranger paid for their meal. Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 16 Apr. 2020 It will be presented in the theater that housed the (now terminated) Terminator 2: 3D, and, like that attraction, will blend live actors, high-octane effects, and screened footage for a dumbfounding movie-live performance mashup. Arthur Levine, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2020 Wonders and his teammates, not to mention the fans at Breslin, were dumbfounded on two levels. Mick Mccabe, Detroit Free Press, 13 Mar. 2020 See More Word History
dumb + -found (as in confound)
1653, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
dumbfound
verb
dumbfound
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- surprise
- shock
- amaze
- astonish
- flabbergast
- astound
- stupefy
- stun
- confuse
- startle
- bewilder
- befuddle
- surprize
- perplex
- dismay
- thunderstrike
- disconcert
- nonplus
- rock
- bowl over
- take aback
- floor
- discomfit
- take by surprise
- daze
- confound
- muddle
- blindside
- shake up
- blow away
- jar
- knock for a loop
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of dumbfound are bewilder, confound, distract, nonplus, perplex, and puzzle. While all these words mean "to baffle and disturb mentally," dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound.
In some situations, the words bewilder and dumbfound are roughly equivalent. However, bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.
While the synonyms confound and dumbfound are close in meaning, confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.
The meanings of distract and dumbfound largely overlap; however, distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.
The words nonplus and dumbfound are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.
Although the words perplex and dumbfound have much in common, perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.
The synonyms puzzle and dumbfound are sometimes interchangeable, but puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.