# astonishing

/əˈstɑnɪʃɪŋ/ (US) · /ɐstˈɒnɪʃɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/astonishing
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. very surprising

adjective · CEFR B2

extremely surprising or amazing.

For teachers: causing great surprise or wonder; often used to describe facts, achievements, or changes that seem nearly impossible.

- The team made an astonishing recovery after losing the first three games.
- The speed with which the technology has been adopted globally is truly astonishing, even to those who predicted its success.

Usage: usually placed before a noun or after a linking verb like 'be' or 'seem'.

## Examples

- The view from the top of the mountain is astonishing.
- The young athlete showed astonishing progress, breaking three national records in a single afternoon.
- The speed with which the technology evolved was truly astonishing, transforming the entire industry in less than a decade and rendering previous methods obsolete.

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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.