# astonished

/əˈstɑnɪʃt/ (US) · /ɐstˈɒnɪʃt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/astonished
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

feeling very surprised or shocked by something you did not expect.

For teachers: feeling or showing great surprise or amazement. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'feel', or 'seem'.

## Examples

- I was astonished to hear that she won the race.
- The scientists were astonished by the results of the experiment, as they contradicted years of previous research.
- He stood there with an astonished expression, unable to comprehend how the small startup had managed to outperform the industry giants in such a short period.

## Pitfalls

- Not "It was an astonished news" but "It was astonishing news" — Learners often confuse the -ed adjective (describing a feeling) with the -ing adjective (describing the thing that causes the feeling).

## Usage notes

- Typically follows a linking verb and is often followed by 'to' + infinitive or the preposition 'by' or 'at'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.