Word
wonder
Phoneticswon·der
US/ˈwəndɝ/
UK/wˈʌndɐ/
Definitions
01to be curious
v. to think about something because you want to know more about it or you are not sure about it.
v. to ponder or feel curiosity about something; to query a matter in one's mind.
“I wonder why the shop is closed so early today.”
“Economists wonder whether the recent shift in consumer spending is a temporary reaction or a permanent change in market behaviour.”
Usage
Often followed by 'if', 'whether', or question words like 'why' and 'how'.
Pitfall
I am wondering if to go.
I am wondering whether to go.
When 'wonder' is followed by a choice or doubt, use 'whether' or 'if' with a full clause, not an infinitive.
02to be amazed
v. to feel very surprised or full of admiration for something.
v. to be affected by surprise or admiration; to marvel at a specific stimulus.
“Visitors often wonder at the size of the ancient cathedral.”
“The researchers could only wonder at the complexity of the neural pathways they were observing for the first time.”
Usage
Usually takes the preposition 'at'.
Synonyms
03a feeling of awe
n. a feeling of surprise and admiration, often because something is beautiful or new.
n. a state of awe or admiration inspired by something beautiful, unexpected, or inexplicable.
“The children looked at the fireworks with wonder in their eyes.”
“The sheer scale of the mountain range filled the hikers with a sense of wonder that stayed with them for years.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04a marvel
n. something that is very impressive, beautiful, or surprising.
n. an object, person, or event that causes amazement or great admiration.
“The Great Wall of China is one of the wonders of the world.”
“The new medical treatment is a wonder of modern science, saving lives that would have been lost a decade ago.”
Synonyms
05a quick thought
n. a quick thought or a moment of thinking about something.
n. a brief period of mental pondering or a casual thought.
“I'll have a wonder about where we should go for dinner.”
“After having a quiet wonder about the proposal, she decided to ask for more specific details before signing.”
British English · Informal
Teaching tip
This sense is specifically British and very informal; 'have a think' is a more common alternative in the same register.
Word family
Idioms
gutless wonder — One who lacks guts or courage; a coward.
nine-day wonder — Something that generates interest for a limited time and is then abandoned.
no-hit wonder — A recording artist who proves to be commercially successful, or maintains a long career, without having any hit songs at all.
one-hit wonder — A recording artist known for only one hit song, especially after failing at subsequent attempts at success.
small wonder — An event or fact whose cause or rationale is not difficult to discern; an unsurprising occurrence.
two-hit wonder — A recording artist known for only two hit songs.
work wonders — To be highly successful as a solution.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/wonder