# daze

/ˈdeɪz/ (US) · /dˈeɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/daze
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. state of confusion

noun · CEFR B2

a state where you cannot think clearly, usually because of a shock, a surprise, or being hit.

For teachers: a state of stunned confusion or stupefaction, often resulting from physical trauma or psychological shock.

- After the car accident, he walked around in a daze for several minutes.
- Following the sudden announcement of the company's closure, the employees wandered through the office in a daze, unable to process the news.

Usage: Usually used in the phrase 'in a daze'.

### 2. to stun or confuse

verb · CEFR B2

to make someone unable to think clearly, especially with a bright light or a sudden blow.

For teachers: to stun or stupefy someone, typically by means of a physical blow, intense light, or overwhelming emotion.

- The bright flash of the explosion dazed the soldiers for a moment.
- The boxer was visibly dazed by the heavy blow to his jaw, struggling to regain his footing before the referee finished the count.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice ('was dazed').

### 3. glittering stone

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Dialect

a type of stone that shines or glitters, sometimes found in mines.

For teachers: a glittering stone, such as mica or quartz, often encountered in mining contexts.

- The miners noticed a vein of daze reflecting their headlamps in the dark tunnel.
- Geologists identified the shimmering particles in the rock face as daze, a common occurrence in this particular strata of the mine.

Teaching tip: This sense is highly specialized and rare in modern general English; learners will almost always encounter 'daze' in the context of confusion.

## Examples

- He was in a daze after the accident.
- The witness was in a state of daze for several minutes following the explosion, unable to provide a coherent account of the events.
- The sudden shift in the mine's structural integrity left the workers in a collective daze, their instincts taking over as they scrambled for the nearest exit.

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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.