dumbfound

verb

ˌdəm-ˈfau̇nd How to pronounce dumbfound (audio)
variants also dumfound
Definition of dumbfoundnext
as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected the surprise ending will dumbfound even the most seasoned mystery reader

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dumbfound differ from other similar words?

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.

was at first too dumbfounded to reply

In what contexts can bewilder take the place of dumbfound?

In some situations, the words bewilder and dumbfound are roughly equivalent. However, bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.

a bewildering number of possibilities

When is it sensible to use confound instead of dumbfound?

While the synonyms confound and dumbfound are close in meaning, confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.

the tragic news confounded us all

When would distract be a good substitute for dumbfound?

The meanings of distract and dumbfound largely overlap; however, distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.

distracted by personal problems

When could nonplus be used to replace dumbfound?

The words nonplus and dumbfound are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.

the remark left us utterly nonplussed

Where would perplex be a reasonable alternative to dumbfound?

Although the words perplex and dumbfound have much in common, perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.

a behavior that perplexed her friends

When might puzzle be a better fit than dumbfound?

The synonyms puzzle and dumbfound are sometimes interchangeable, but puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.

the persistent fever puzzled the doctor

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 dumbfound Credit: Everett Collection Sox in Lightyear Sohn as Sox, the cat-like personal companion robot for Chris Evans' Buzz Lightyear, became the unexpected standout of this 2022 movie — which still dumbfounds Sohn a bit to this day. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 16 June 2023 An American visionary, Anderson embraces his bourgeois adolescence with poetic accuracy: a boy floating forward to give help; a girl raising her hand to ask a question; a general revealing his ethnically specific history; everyone dumbfounded by an extraterrestrial’s appearance. —Armond White, National Review, 16 June 2023 Photographs of Nahapetian at the film’s premiere dumbfounded a fair number of social media users, who had also mistaken the actor for a de-aged Phoenix after watching the trailer. —J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 26 Apr. 2023 Witnesses told The Times that spectators were dumbfounded. —Rachel Uranga, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Apr. 2023 See All Example Sentences for dumbfound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumbfound
  1. surprise
  2. shock
  3. amaze
  4. astonish
  5. astound
  6. flabbergast
  7. stupefy
Verb
  • Vogue: What has surprised you most about your parenting journey?
    — Emma Specter, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2025
  • There were no big Heat rotation surprises to begin the postseason.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of surprise
Verb
  • Moment Mom Realizes What 11-Year-Old Daughter Had Been Doing With Scissors By Jack Beresford Senior Life and Trends Reporter Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 0 A mom was shocked to discover that her 11-year-old daughter had made some noticeable modifications to her school uniform.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Another photographer told me how she was shocked by the amount of couples booking for years down the line.
    — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of shock
Verb
  • What amazes me is that after Covid, a lot of the business became transactional.
    — Jennifer Leigh Parker, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
  • This isn't the first time a thrift store find has amazed the internet.
    — Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of amaze
Verb
  • They too would have been astonished by its subtle yet pleasant effects and its practical use.
    — Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Former and current military fighter pilots were astonished that the Secretary of Defense texted details of the classified attack plan.
    — Rick Pozniak, Boston Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of astonish
Verb
  • Beauty and the Beast astounded when opening to $174.6 million domestically in mid-March 2017, not adjusted for inflation.
    — Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
  • In terms of other Disney live-action princess remakes, Beauty and the Beast astounded when opening to $174.6 million domestically in mid-March 2017, not adjusted for inflation.
    — Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of astound
Verb
  • He’s been flabbergasted by what’s happened since 2021.
    — Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar. 2025
  • But over the last month, since Los Angeles swung a midnight trade that flabbergasted the NBA, this clash has elevated from a one-off novelty to a plausible NBA Finals preview.
    — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of flabbergast
Verb
  • News coverage can’t prepare you for the stupefying endlessness of the destruction, nor for the metallic stench that seeps in through closed windows.
    — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2025
  • Even amid the stupefying information overload of Trump’s first week back in office, this is shocking.
    — Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2025
Definition of stupefy

Browse Nearby Words

dumbed down
dumbfound
dumbfounded
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Cite this Entry

“Dumbfound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumbfound. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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