Word
stun
US/ˈstən/
UK/stˈʌn/
Definition
v. to surprise or shock someone so much that they can't think or move for a short time. It can be from something you see, hear, or learn.
v. to make someone temporarily unconscious or unable to react, either through a physical blow or profound emotional shock. It implies a momentary loss of faculties.
Examples
“The news of her promotion stuns her.”
“The magician's final trick was so incredible that it stunned the entire audience into silence.”
“The sheer audacity of the proposal stunned the board members, leaving them momentarily speechless as they tried to process its implications.”
Examples
simple
“The news of her promotion stuns her.”
contextual
“The magician's final trick was so incredible that it stunned the entire audience into silence.”
complex
“The sheer audacity of the proposal stunned the board members, leaving them momentarily speechless as they tried to process its implications.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “stun” in context.
Verb
01. stun the critics with a performance
“The young actress stunned the critics with a performance that was both raw and powerful.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. stun the fans by resigning
“The star player stunned the fans by resigning just before the championship game.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
03. stun the public into silence
“The severity of the economic crash stunned the public into silence.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adverb
04. completely stun the audience
“The magician's final trick completely stunned the audience into silence.”
adv + verb + noun
05. stun the world with the news
“The scientist stunned the world with the news of a potential cure for the virus.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
06. visibly stun the crowd
“The underdog's sudden victory visibly stunned the crowd at the stadium.”
adv + verb + noun
Usage
The verb is transitive and always takes a direct object.
Pitfall
I was stunning when I heard the news.
I was stunned when I heard the news.
Learners may confuse the adjective 'stunned' (feeling shocked) with 'stunning' (very beautiful or impressive).
Real-World Examples
“The security forces used tear gas and stun grenades.” Etymology
Inherited from Middle English stonen, stone (“to astonish, stun, numb”, also stoneyen), probably either directly or indirectly from Anglo-Norman estoner (“to stun, astonish”), from Late Latin stunāre, from Frankish stunōn (“to thunder, crash”) or perhaps from an unattested Latin extonāre (“to thunder out, make a thunderous sound”), from tonāre ("to thunder"; compare Latin attonāre). An alternative etymology derives stonen from Old English stunian (“to smash, thunder”), from Proto-West Germanic stunōn. See also astonish, astound. Compare Swedish stöna (“to moan, groan”), Danish stønne (“to moan, groan”), Icelandic stynja (“to moan”), Occitan estonar (“to surprise”), and French étonner (“to surprise”), and more distantly, Dutch steunen (“to groan; support”), German stöhnen (“to groan, moan”), German staunen (“to be astonished, be amazed, marvel at”), and Russian стонать (stonatʹ), стена́ть (stenátʹ, “to moan, groan”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/stun