Synonym Chooser

How does the verb flabbergast contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of flabbergast are amaze, astonish, astound, and surprise. While all these words mean "to impress forcibly through unexpectedness," flabbergast may suggest thorough astonishment and bewilderment or dismay.

flabbergasted by his angry refusal

When would amaze be a good substitute for flabbergast?

The words amaze and flabbergast can be used in similar contexts, but amaze suggests an effect of bewilderment.

amazed by the immense size of the place

When is astonish a more appropriate choice than flabbergast?

The meanings of astonish and flabbergast largely overlap; however, astonish implies surprising so greatly as to seem incredible.

a discovery that astonished the world

When might astound be a better fit than flabbergast?

While in some cases nearly identical to flabbergast, astound stresses the shock of astonishment.

too astounded to respond

Where would surprise be a reasonable alternative to flabbergast?

In some situations, the words surprise and flabbergast are roughly equivalent. However, surprise stresses causing an effect through being unexpected but not necessarily unusual or novel.

surprised to find them at home

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flabbergast For Perry, these operations felt like the final step to closing out a weight loss journey that flabbergasted millions online. Angela Yang, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2025 Gates, who once held Musk’s current position as the world’s wealthiest person, seems to find this hard-right turn flabbergasting. Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025 Dozens of producer friends wrote to one another, flabbergasted that such a thing could happen. Cathy Schulman, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2025 As the rational and oft-flabbergasted physician who narrates Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, Watson is the looking glass into Holmes’s intellectual superpowers. Rory Doherty, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flabbergast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flabbergast
Verb
  • This creator, in the true sense of the word, adds a touch here and there, drapes or lets fall the folds of a cape or a huge collar, borrows from all the epochs of fashion and interprets them all, and in the sum total, never fails to amaze us with his exquisite audacity.
    Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 7 July 2025
  • The Teton Range, covered in powder, amazes as far as the eye can see.
    DeMarco Williams, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Frantic runs burst through the music, while the last movement surprises with its sudden force.
    Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 11 July 2025
  • However, this didn't happen, leaving county officials, including Comptroller Liz Sumner, surprised and prompting her to order an audit of the governance and oversight structure of MCTS.
    Sophia Tiedge, jsonline.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Dangerous enough to raise the stakes, but not too gruesome to shock young viewers.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 July 2025
  • More than a year after a 19-year-old college student's murder shocked Milwaukee and prompted waves of outcry, the man accused of killing her is finally on trial.
    David Clarey, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • Teoscar Hernández, as always right by Pages’ side, was astonished.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 26 June 2025
  • She is simultaneously astonished and grateful that there is a 50th Mr. Irrelevant.
    Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • The Princess of Wales also stunned in a gold cape dress for the No Time to Die James Bond premiere in 2021 and for a 2023 State Visit by the South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025
  • Friends told me of arriving at a familiar spot for the first time after the cease-fire and being stunned by the sight of buildings ripped open by a blast.
    Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Your trash schedule might not be top of mind this Independence Day between going to fireworks displays, making a last-minute run to the grocery store or getting startled by loud booms.
    Eleanor Nash July 3, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2025
  • According to a crash report, a cicada flew into the driver's window, startling the driver.
    Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Flabbergast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flabbergast. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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