Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective So shocked or astonished as to be rendered speechless.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective so shocked as to be unable to speak

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective as if struck dumb with astonishment and surprise

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From dumb + struck.

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Examples

  • Midpoint between dismissive and dumbstruck is the objective mindset to appreciate how pragmatic idealism shaped Federico's leadership and patronage.

    Architecture and Memory: The Renaissance Studioli of Federico da Montefeltro 2008

  • Furthermore, the author says that the word dumbstruck in the expression "I was dumbstruck by the news" is a compound noun.

    unknown title 2009

  • And what teacher's notes in what context could have led one examinee to coin a word dumbstruck, which another candidate heard as "bumstruck"?

    VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XIII No 2 1986

  • Despite a friend giving me the three word spoiler for “The Half Blood Prince,” which he didn’t realize was important until I stared at him in dumbstruck horror and said THANKS MAN – WAITED 6 MONTHS TO GET THIS BOOK FOR MY BIRTHDAY AND YOU SPOILED IT IN THREE WORDS … but he didn’t.

    Harry Potter, some updates....Vintage Soul... deep_bluze 2005

  • I will admit to being completely dumbstruck, which is a feat for me.

    Alien Encounter « The Life and Times of Organic Mama 2007

  • You did a great job, Veronica and really brought a wonderful example and advice (and I know what you mean about Kim Gandy - I just was kind of dumbstruck shaking her hand - and could only mutter, "Thank you!").

    Feminism 2.0 Debrief - Opening Plenary 2009

  • Renaming Creationism as "Intelligent Design Theory" gives it a respectability it doesn't deserve, since it does not meet any of the criteria of a scientific theory - there is no POSITIVE evidence of a creator or designer (all they have is a kind of dumbstruck awe: "isn't the world complex?" and a lack of imagination "We can't imagine how this came to be", followed by an illogical step "it must be a designer").

    On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with... 2008

  • While Ms McKenzie said she was very angry at what had happened to her mother, Mr Jorgensen said he was, for the moment, "dumbstruck".

    Stuff.co.nz - Stuff By MAIKE van der HEIDE 2010

  • But the coroner, Lady Justice Hallett, said she had been "dumbstruck" by his modesty and his "simply amazing" actions.

    The Guardian World News Alexandra Topping 2010

  • Catherine Gibson said she was "dumbstruck" after police revealed that forensic tests showed they had discovered her 25-year-old daughter's body at an address in the Capital, it was reported.

    unknown title 2009

Comments

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  • When some idiot runs over you in his big SUV.

    June 27, 2007

  • Now you are back to deadstruck.

    June 27, 2007

  • Or painstruck, as the case may be. ;-)

    June 27, 2007

  • Very lucky if you are only painstruck--I once knew a woman who survived being run over by a garbage truck, but it was a long road back.

    June 27, 2007

  • Ook. In the interest of sunshine and happiness, I vote that we go with the much friendlier miraclestruck and the hopes of a complete recovery. Or maybe hugstruck.

    June 27, 2007

  • oh, gee, group hugstruck. . .and try not to be run over by any SUVs.

    June 27, 2007

  • Wow. I'm ouchstruck.

    June 27, 2007

  • So reestee, what was the name of that SUV?

    June 27, 2007

  • The behemoth, of course. :-) Oh, wait--how big was it? Maybe it was the dreadnought.

    June 27, 2007