dumbfounder

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /dʌmˈfaʊndɚ/ UK /dʌmˈfaʊndə/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
dated: to astonish or bewilder someone completely

The unexpected inheritance dumbfoundered the entire family.
2

noun
rare: a person or thing that causes complete astonishment

The final revelation was a dumbfounder that left the audience silent.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · dated: to astonish or... dumbfoundastound bewilder flabbergast

2 noun · rare: a person or thing... astonishment stunner

Opposites

clarify reassure

Word family

Forms dumbfoundered

Derived forms dumbfounderment

Related forms dumbfounddumbfounded confound

Etymology

The verb is an alteration of dumbfound, a blend of dumb and confound; the rare noun is dumbfound + the agent suffix -er. Dickens's dumbfoundered is the regular past participle of this longer verb.

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

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