Word
amaze
US/əˈmeɪz/
UK/ɐmˈeɪz/
Definition
v. to surprise someone very much. You use this when something is so impressive or unexpected that it is hard to believe.
v. to fill someone with great surprise or sudden wonder. Often used in the passive voice to describe a state of being overwhelmed by an impressive sight or achievement.
Examples
“The magician's tricks always amaze the children.”
“The young athlete's speed and stamina continue to amaze her coaches during every practice session.”
“The sheer scale of the ancient ruins never fails to amaze visitors, who often find themselves humbled by the architectural sophistication of a lost civilization.”
Examples
simple
“The magician's tricks always amaze the children.”
contextual
“The young athlete's speed and stamina continue to amaze her coaches during every practice session.”
complex
“The sheer scale of the ancient ruins never fails to amaze visitors, who often find themselves humbled by the architectural sophistication of a lost civilization.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object. Frequently appears in the passive form 'to be amazed by/at'.
Pitfall
I am very amaze by the news.
I am very amazed by the news.
Learners often use the base verb instead of the past participle (-ed) when describing their own feelings.
Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English amasen, amase (“to bewilder, perplex”) (attested chiefly in the past participle form, and thus often difficult to distinguish from amased (adjective)), from Old English āmasian (“to confuse, astonish”), from ā- (perfective prefix) + masian (“to confound, confuse, perplex; to amaze”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)meh₂- (“to beckon, signal”)). The English word is analysable as a- (intensifying prefix) + maze (“(archaic) to astonish, amaze, bewilder; to daze, stupefy”). The noun is derived from Late Middle English amase, from the verb: see above.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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