Stunning — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈstə-niŋ/ stun·ning

Meaning & Definition of Stunning

Stunning (adjective)

  1. causing astonishment or disbelief
  2. strikingly impressive especially in beauty or excellence

Stunning (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness

    "we suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of the bottom-ranked team in the division"

    similar: amazing, astonishing, astounding, blindsiding, dumbfounding, eye-opening, flabbergasting, jarring, jaw-dropping, jolting, shocking, startling, stupefying, surprising
    related: unannounced, unanticipated, unexpected, unforeseen, awesome, awful, breathtaking, fabulous, heart-stopping, marvelous, miraculous, portentous, prodigious, staggering, stupendous, sublime, wonderful, wondrous, extraordinary, phenomenal, rare, sensational, spectacular, befuddling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, discomfiting, disconcerting, dismaying, flustering, muddling, nonplussing, perplexing, upsetting, incomprehensible, inconceivable, incredible, unbelievable, unimaginable, unlikely, unthinkable, singular, uncommon, unique, unusual, unwonted, conspicuous, notable, noticeable, outstanding, remarkable, impressive, striking
    opposite: unsurprising
    near: common, customary, mundane, normal, ordinary, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual

  2. causing wonder or astonishment

    "the stunning beauty of the star-filled sky on a cloudless night"

    similar: amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, awful, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, miraculous, portentous, prodigious, staggering, stupendous, sublime, surprising, wonderful, wondrous
    related: incomprehensible, inconceivable, incredible, unbelievable, unimaginable, unthinkable, extraordinary, phenomenal, rare, sensational, spectacular, singular, uncommon, unique, unusual, unwonted, conspicuous, notable, noticeable, outstanding, remarkable, impressive, smashing, striking, mind-bending, mind-blowing, mind-boggling, animating, energizing, enlightening, enlivening, exciting, galvanizing, invigorating, stimulating, alluring, attracting, attractive, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, entertaining, enthralling, fascinating, interesting
    near: unimpressive, uninspiring, unremarkable, boring, dull, jading, monotonous, tedious, tiring, uninspired, uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying, common, customary, mundane, normal, ordinary, typical, unexceptional, usual, draining, enervating, exhausting, fatiguing, wearing, debilitating, enfeebling, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting

  3. very pleasing to look at

    "how stunning the performers look in their costumes"

    similar: aesthetic, attractive, beauteous, beautiful, bonny (chiefly British), comely, cute, drop-dead, fair, fetching, good, good-looking, goodly, gorgeous, handsome, knockout, likely, lovely, lovesome, pretty, ravishing, seemly, sightly, taking, well-favored
    related: alluring, appealing, charming, cunning, delightful, engaging, fascinating, glamorous, prepossessing, elegant, exquisite, glorious, Junoesque, magnificent, resplendent, splendid, statuesque, sublime, superb, flawless, perfect, radiant, dainty, delicate, personable, pleasant, presentable, chocolate-box, prettyish, desirable, dishy, dollish, foxy, hot, luscious, nubile, pulchritudinous, seductive, sexy, toothsome, hunky, studly (slang), arresting, eye-catching, flamboyant, flashy, glossy, showstopping, showy, slick, snazzy, splashy, striking, zingy, photogenic, telegenic
    opposite: grotesque, hideous, homely, ill-favored, plain, ugly, unaesthetic, unattractive, unbeautiful, uncomely, uncute, unhandsome, unlovely, unpleasing, unpretty, unsightly
    near: abhorrent, abominable, bad, disagreeable, disgusting, dreadful, foul, frightful, ghastly, horrible, loathsome, nasty, nauseating, objectionable, offensive, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, shocking, sickening, terrible, vile, unappealing, unappetizing, unimposing, unpleasant, unprepossessing, frumpish, frumpy, unbecoming, unshapely

Stunning (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make senseless or dizzy by a blow

    "a powerful uppercut to the jaw stunned the boxer and sent him crashing to the canvas"

    similar: dazing, rocking, knocking for a loop, knocking silly
    related: deadening, knocking out, paralyzing, benumbing, numbing, stupefying, bowling over, knocking down, banging, bashing, belting, bludgeoning, bonking, bopping, clobbering, clocking, clouting, hammering, hitting, pasting, pounding, punching, rapping, slamming, slapping, slugging, smacking, smiting, socking, striking, swatting, thumping, thwacking, walloping, whacking, whaling, battering, beating, buffeting, bunging, chopping, cuffing, drubbing, mangling, mauling, pelting, pummeling

  2. to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

    "the news of their boss's termination stunned the staff"

    similar: amazing, astonishing, astounding, bowling over, dumbfounding, flabbergasting, flooring, rocking, shocking, startling, stupefying, surprising, thunderstriking, knocking for a loop, taking aback, taking by surprise
    related: befuddling, bewildering, blindsiding, blowing away, confounding, confusing, dazing, discomfiting, disconcerting, dismaying, jarring, muddling, nonplussing, perplexing, shaking up

Related Entry: Stun (verb)

Stun is a different word from Stunning. The synonyms below are for stun, not for stunning.

  1. to make senseless or dizzy by a blow

    "a powerful uppercut to the jaw stunned the boxer and sent him crashing to the canvas"

    similar: daze, rock, knock for a loop, knock silly
    related: deaden, knock out, paralyze, benumb, numb, stupefy, bowl over, knock down, bang, bash, belt, bludgeon, bonk, bop, clobber, clock, clout, hammer, hit, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, batter, beat, buffet, bung, chop, cuff, drub, mangle, maul, pelt, pummel

  2. to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

    "the news of their boss's termination stunned the staff"

    similar: amaze, astonish, astound, bowl over, dumbfound, flabbergast, floor, rock, shock, startle, stupefy, surprise, thunderstrike, knock for a loop, take aback, take by surprise
    related: befuddle, bewilder, blindside, blow away, confound, confuse, daze, discomfit, disconcert, dismay, jar, muddle, nonplus, perplex, shake up

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Stunning

The most common words with a similar meaning to Stunning:

Chiefly British: bonny
amazing, astonishing, astounding, blindsiding, dumbfounding, eye-opening, flabbergasting, jarring, jaw-dropping, jolting, shocking, startling, stupefying, surprising, awesome, awful, fabulous, marvelous, miraculous, portentous, prodigious, staggering, stupendous, sublime, wonderful, wondrous, aesthetic, attractive, beauteous, beautiful, comely, cute, drop-dead, fair, fetching, good, good-looking, goodly, gorgeous, handsome

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Stunning

Words with the opposite meaning of Stunning:

unsurprising, grotesque, hideous, homely, ill-favored, plain, ugly, unaesthetic, unattractive, unbeautiful, uncomely, uncute, unhandsome, unlovely, unpleasing, unpretty, unsightly

Related Words for Stunning

unannounced, unanticipated, unexpected, unforeseen, breathtaking, heart-stopping, extraordinary, phenomenal, rare, sensational, spectacular, befuddling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, discomfiting, disconcerting, dismaying, flustering, muddling, nonplussing, perplexing, upsetting, incomprehensible, inconceivable, incredible, unbelievable, unimaginable, unlikely, unthinkable

Near Antonyms of Stunning

common, customary, mundane, normal, ordinary, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, unimpressive, uninspiring, boring, dull, jading, monotonous, tedious, tiring, uninspired, uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying, draining, enervating, exhausting, fatiguing, wearing, debilitating, enfeebling, demoralizing

Word Forms of Stunning

Derived words: stunningly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Stunning

First known use: 1667

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Stunning

Frequently Asked Questions about Stunning

What does "Stunning" mean?

"Stunning" means causing astonishment or disbelief. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: causing astonishment or disbelief. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Stunning"?

Other words for "Stunning" include amazing, astonishing, astounding, blindsiding, dumbfounding, eye-opening, flabbergasting and jarring. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Stunning" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Stunning"?

There are 222 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Stunning". Common alternatives include amazing, astonishing, astounding, blindsiding, dumbfounding, eye-opening, flabbergasting, jarring, jaw-dropping and jolting.

What is the opposite of "Stunning"?

Antonyms of "Stunning" include unsurprising, grotesque, hideous, homely, ill-favored, plain, ugly and unaesthetic. Near antonyms include common, customary, mundane and normal.

How do you use "Stunning" in a sentence?

Examples of "Stunning" in a sentence: "we suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of the bottom-ranked team in the division"; "the stunning beauty of the star-filled sky on a cloudless night"; "how stunning the performers look in their costumes".

Is "Stunning" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Stunning" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Stunning" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Stunning" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Stunning"?

"Stunning" is pronounced /ˈstə-niŋ/ and divided into syllables as stun·ning.