verb
astonish
uh-STO-nihsh
verb
1
To surprise someone so much that they are left amazed.
"The magician’s final trick astonished the whole audience."
"It astonished me how quickly she learned the language."
How to Use Astonish
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo amaze or shock someone with surprise.
Common pairings
astonish everyone
astonished to learn
Word Forms
astonished past tense, astonishes singular
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The magician’s final trick _____ the whole audience.
Etymology
Traces back through Middle English forms like "astony" and "astone" to Old French estoner, "to stun" — the "-ish" ending was likely added later by analogy with words like "abolish" and "banish."