Standard Lemma guide

dumbstruck

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • General-American: /ˈdʌmˌstɹʌk/
  • CMU ARPABET: D AH1 M S T R AH2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

So shocked as to be unable to speak.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

as if struck dumb with astonishment and surprise

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a circle of policement stood dumbfounded by her denial of having seen the accident
  • the flabbergasted aldermen were speechless
  • was thunderstruck by the news of his promotion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dumbfounded, dumfounded, flabbergasted, stupefied, thunderstruck, dumbstricken

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From dumb + struck. Comapare strike dumb.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 目瞪口呆 (mùdèngkǒudāi) — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • Chinese Mandarin: 啞口無言 /哑口无言 (yǎkǒuwúyán) — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • Chinese Mandarin: 駭然 /骇然 (hàirán) — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • French: abasourdi — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • German: sprachlos — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • German: fassungslos — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • Lithuanian: apstulbęs — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: mållaus — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: lamslegen — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • Polish: oniemiały — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • Polish: osłupiały — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • Serbo-Croatian: bez riječi — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • Serbo-Croatian: zanijemio od čuda — so shocked as to be unable to speak
  • Serbo-Croatian: zanemio od čuda — so shocked as to be unable to speak