Nota: La traducción de esta entrada está actualmente en revisión de calidad, por lo que parte del contenido se muestra temporalmente solo en inglés.
Esta entrada aún no se ha traducido a tu idioma, así que se muestra el original a continuación.
dumbfounded
The word describes a state of extreme astonishment that creates a temporary inability to speak or react. It combines the idea of being "dumb" (mute) and "founded" (struck or knocked down), evoking the image of someone being physically stunned by a piece of information.
While "surprised" is a general term and "shocked" often carries a negative or traumatic connotation, "dumbfounded" specifically emphasizes the cognitive paralysis and the silence that follows. It is frequently used when something is so unexpected or illogical that the brain needs a moment to process it.
In terms of register, it is suitable for both spoken and written English. It is more descriptive than "amazed" and more intense than "surprised." It is commonly paired with intensifiers like "completely," "utterly," or "absolutely" to emphasize the total loss of words.
Meanings
Examples
He stood there dumbfounded by the sudden news of his promotion.
I was completely dumbfounded when she told me she was moving to another country.
The magician left the entire audience dumbfounded.
Wait, he actually won the lottery? I am absolutely dumbfounded.
She looked at him with a dumbfounded expression after the proposal.
She looked at him with a dumbfounded expression after the proposal.
The knight was dumbfounded to find the dragon sleeping peacefully.
I can only stare in dumbfounded silence at this disaster.
He was dumbfounded that the project had been cancelled without any warning.