Astounding
/əˈstaʊndɪŋ/
Definitions
So surprising or impressive as to cause astonishment.
/əˈstaʊndɪŋ/
Extremely surprising or impressive.
The view from the mountaintop was absolutely astounding.
💡 Simply: Very surprising and impressive
More Examples
She delivered an astounding performance, captivating the audience.
How It's Used
"The magician performed an astounding feat of illusion."
"The athlete achieved an astounding victory, breaking all previous records."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
From Middle English *astouned*, past participle of *astounen*, from Old French *estoner* "to stun, amaze," from Vulgar Latin *exstonare*, from Latin *ex-* "out" + *tonare* "to thunder." The sense evolved from the physical stunning effect of thunder to a more figurative sense of amazement.
Initially used to describe something that caused a physical shock, like thunder; later evolved to describe overwhelming surprise and amazement.
Memory tip
Imagine being struck by thunder (the etymology) – that's how astounding something feels.
Word Origin
"to thunder"