stun
STUN
/stĘŚn/
To astonish or shock someone so completely that they are momentarily dazed or unable to react.
Bridges physical blows (knocking someone unconscious) and emotional shock that leaves someone metaphorically senseless.
The story behind the word. A shortened Anglo-French variant of 'estoner' (which also produced 'astonish'). It originally meant to render senseless with a heavy physical blow or thunderclap.
Word relationships
- daze: 'Daze' focuses on physical grogginess or disorientation; 'stun' emphasizes the sharp impact of shock.
- invigorate: To energize and stimulate into action.
Commonly confused with
- shock: 'Shock' is general; 'stun' emphasizes a dazed, paralyzed state following the blow.
Word family
- stunning (adjective): Extremely impressive, attractive, or surprising.
- stunningly (adverb): In a stunning manner.
Collocations
- stun the crowd
- absolutely stun
- stun into silence
Idioms & expressions
- stunned silence
Example sentences
- "The underdog team's sudden last-minute victory managed to stun the stadium's crowd into silence." Sports Journalism
Memory hook
A STUN grenade leaves you completely STUNNED and dazed. Dazed as if by a physical blow.
When not to use
Avoid if you mean mild amusement or gentle wonder.
Fun facts
- While 'stun' implies shock, its derived adjective 'stunning' evolved in the 19th century into a major compliment meaning remarkably beautiful.
Explore more words
nonplussed, consternation, breathtaking, flummoxed, confounded, bewildered
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