as in astonishment
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual
upon hearing the unexpected news, she just sat there in total stupefaction
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Recent Examples of stupefaction
And stupefaction of the far right.
—
Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Does freeing oneself from stupefaction involve confronting a terrifying reality, or abandoning it?
—Daniel R. Quiles, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
At one point, the fear that squeezed my stomach tighter and tighter gave way to stupefaction.
—Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Advertisement The depth of my stupefaction is at the center of a debate playing out on social media, prompted by what seemed to be a definitive ruling on the matter from ketchup giant Heinz.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 3 July 2023
So here’s a handy guide to stick it to your co-conversants and have their heads nodding at your bon mots in sublime stupefaction.
—Andy Kessler, WSJ, 13 June 2021
As usual, however, TIME's selection has stirred up disagreement/bemusement/stupefaction.
—Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2010
Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Does freeing oneself from stupefaction involve confronting a terrifying reality, or abandoning it?
—Daniel R. Quiles, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
At one point, the fear that squeezed my stomach tighter and tighter gave way to stupefaction.
—Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Advertisement The depth of my stupefaction is at the center of a debate playing out on social media, prompted by what seemed to be a definitive ruling on the matter from ketchup giant Heinz.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 3 July 2023
So here’s a handy guide to stick it to your co-conversants and have their heads nodding at your bon mots in sublime stupefaction.
—Andy Kessler, WSJ, 13 June 2021
As usual, however, TIME's selection has stirred up disagreement/bemusement/stupefaction.
—Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2010
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stupefaction
Noun
-
Whispers ripple in astonishment, and nods of approval are seen throughout the audience.—
Zoe Bahjat,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
-
To his astonishment, the country’s Central Statistics Office had dropped price tracking of the nation’s most popular beer in 2011.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Karlsson joined Muse and Crosby in his amazement after being sent off despite little to do with the melee.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Or Scott Spiezio, whose three-run thunderbolt into the right field box seats in Game 6 of the World Series against San Francisco started the comeback from a 3-2 series deficit that led to those looks of shocked amazement among long-time Angels employees the next night.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But Wright’s fieldwork largely predates the AI shock that has breathed new life into this push.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Leicester City achieved a similar feat 10 years ago, but that’s considered the greatest shock in modern football history.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stupefaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stupefaction. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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