astonishing

Everyday

Astonishing means so surprising that it is hard to believe; amazing. tree →

In the lessons

Used for very surprising facts, events and sights: «an astonishing discovery». In science, «it is astonishing that a tiny seed grows into an oak». In Alice everything that happens is astonishing to Alice. In maths, a result may be «astonishing» when the numbers are much bigger than expected.

Examples

• It is astonishing how fast a cheetah runs. tree →
• Alice saw an astonishing sight: a cat with a grin and no body. tree →
• The magician did an astonishing trick. tree →
• An astonishing number of people came. tree →
• The blue whale is astonishing in size. tree →
• It's astonishing that you finished so quickly! tree →
• The Queen cried, ‘It is astonishing!’ tree →

Note

Adverb: astonishingly. Stronger than «surprising»; similar to «amazing», «astounding». «Astonished» describes the person who feels it; «astonishing» describes the thing that causes it.