dumbfound
What does "dumbfound" mean?
To be dumbfounded is to be so shocked or surprised that you are rendered speechless. It conveys a state of being struck by astonishment, as if your capacity for speech has been physically taken away by the sheer intensity of an event or discovery. This word is slightly more dramatic and formal than "surprised" or "amazed." It is often used in contexts involving sudden revelations, unexpected news, or mind-boggling feats. You would typically use it to describe someone who is "left dumbfounded" by a situation.
"dumbfound" in conversation
Reacting to a surprise party
I walked in and the whole room yelled 'Surprise!'
I walked in and the whole room yelled 'Surprise!'
Were you expecting it?
Were you expecting it?
No, I was absolutely dumbfounded! I didn't say a word for a full minute.
No, I was absolutely dumbfounded! I didn't say a word for a full minute.
The speaker emphasizes the silence that follows being dumbfounded.
Discussing a mystery
How did the suspect escape from a locked room?
How did the suspect escape from a locked room?
We are all dumbfounded, sir. There are no signs of a break-in.
We are all dumbfounded, sir. There are no signs of a break-in.
Used here to express confusion combined with astonishment.
"dumbfound" in a sentence
The news left the audience dumbfounded.
The news left the audience dumbfounded.
I was completely dumbfounded by his sudden decision to resign without a backup plan.
I was completely dumbfounded by his sudden decision to resign without a backup plan.
The scientist stood dumbfounded as the experiment produced results that defied every known law of physics.
The scientist stood dumbfounded as the experiment produced results that defied every known law of physics.
