stupefy

verb

ˈstü-pə-ˌfī How to pronounce stupefy (audio)
Definition of stupefynext
as in to amaze
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected stupefied by the ruling that he could not compete because he missed the qualifying age by two days

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 stupefy British explorer Colonel Percy Fawcett, who wandered the Amazon for 22 years at the beginning of the 20th century before vanishing without a trace, wrote that the breath of the anaconda stupefied its prey. — Stanley Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026 Dark times shade even darker, and yet through it all, in ways both uplifting and stupefying, life goes on. — Julia Hass, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025 Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone‘s doom-laden black comedy-thriller Bugonia stupefied and delighted the Venice Film Festival on Thursday night, drawing a rousing six-minute standing ovation after its world premiere inside the Italian water city’s Sala Grande cinema. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025 The popularity Nirvana gained at stupefying speed and unmanageable proportions in 1991 is impossible to replicate in the culture and music industry of 2025. — Chris R. Morgan, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stupefy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stupefy
  1. amaze
  2. stun
  3. surprise
  4. astonish
  5. startle
  6. shock
Verb
  • But of the many falsehoods told by them, there was one which quite amazed me.
    — Agnes Callard, The New York Review of Books, 18 Aug. 2026
  • His greatness is never in question, but to have the league at a standstill because of a 41-year-old free agent amazes me.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of amaze
Verb
  • The two competitors crashed through the table, leaving the fans stunned.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Locals gathering at the site of Pretti’s murder were stunned and furious.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of stun
Verb
  • Her care team, however, surprised her by bringing the concert experience to her hospital room.
    — Lauren Pastrana, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Jonathan Adler, a law professor at the College of William & Mary who has written on Roberts’s views on standing, told me he was surprised by Roberts’s vote.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of surprise
Verb
  • The heated rhetoric has infuriated and astonished most Canadians; in a recent poll, seventy-six per cent supported the decision of the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, to walk away from trade talks with Washington.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Booming demand Anthropic’s growth has been astonishing even by Silicon Valley standards.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of astonish
Verb
  • This horror movie mostly just smelled of fake fog from a community theater production and occasionally you were startled by random bursts of air, once again pulling you from the events on screen.
    — Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Of those who were injured, officials said that many were hurt while falling down or hitting themselves against furniture after being startled by the earthquake while sleeping.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of startle
Verb
  • Otherwise, considering the Seahawks had only three safeties on their initial 53-man roster, I wouldn’t be shocked if a cornerback entered the lineup.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • When it was released in 2016, Hero shocked the country music establishment in more ways than one.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of shock

Browse Nearby Words

stupefies
stupefy
stupefying
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Cite this Entry

“Stupefy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stupefy. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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