astonishing
gb/əstˈɑnɪʃɪŋ/ us/əstˈɑnɪʃɪŋ/
B2
English
megdöbbentő, bámulatos, döbbenetes
B2
1
megdöbbentő
B2
Usage pattern:
astonishing (to [someone]) (that [clause])
It’s astonishing that the two companies agreed to merge so quickly.
Megdöbbentő, hogy a két vállalat ilyen gyorsan megegyezett az összeolvadásról.
The report contains some astonishing details about the accident.
A jelentés néhány megdöbbentő részletet tartalmaz a balesetről.
She told an astonishing story about getting lost in the desert.
Learner examples
The news was astonishing.
A hír megdöbbentő volt.
It is astonishing that he finished so fast.
Megdöbbentő, hogy ilyen gyorsan végzett.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use it for small surprises; it usually implies a strong reaction.
Meaning
very surprising or hard to believe
Collocations
astonishing news
|astonishing fact
|astonishing discovery
|astonishing story
|astonishing result
|astonishing claim
|quite astonishing
|truly astonishing
|absolutely astonishing
|an astonishing revelation
Synonyms
amazing (More common and slightly less formal.)
|
astounding (Often suggests being shocked by the surprise.)
|
unbelievable (Emphasizes difficulty believing it is true.)
Antonyms
expected (Not surprising because it was anticipated.)
|
unsurprising (Causing little or no surprise.)
|
ordinary (Not unusual or remarkable.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
Definition
very surprising; almost unbelievable
So surprising that it is difficult to believe or accept.
B2
2
bámulatos
B2
Usage pattern:
an astonishing [skill/ability/performance/achievement]
She has an astonishing memory for names and faces.
Bámulatos memóriája van a nevekhez és az arcokhoz.
The team made an astonishing comeback in the final minutes.
A csapat az utolsó percekben bámulatos fordítást mutatott be.
He delivered an astonishing performance on his first night on stage.
Learner examples
He has astonishing talent.
Bámulatos tehetsége van.
Her results were astonishing.
Az eredményei bámulatosak voltak.
Common mistake:
In positive contexts, it often expresses admiration; it can also be neutral depending on context.
Meaning
remarkably impressive or excellent
Collocations
astonishing talent
|astonishing ability
|astonishing performance
|astonishing achievement
|astonishing success
|astonishing accuracy
|astonishing speed
|astonishing skill
|an astonishing comeback
|astonishing progress
Synonyms
remarkable (Less emotional; focuses on being noteworthy.)
|
extraordinary (Suggests being far beyond the usual.)
|
impressive (More general praise; often less intense.)
Antonyms
mediocre (Not very good; average in a disappointing way.)
|
unimpressive (Not causing admiration.)
|
poor (Clearly not good in quality.)
Themes
emotions
|arts
|achievement
Definition
very impressive; much better than expected
Unusually good or impressive in a way that causes surprise and admiration.
B2
3
döbbenetes
B2
Usage pattern:
an astonishing [amount/number/level/degree] of [something]
They spent an astonishing amount of money on the renovation.
Döbbenetes összeget költöttek a felújításra.
An astonishing number of people showed up despite the rain.
Az eső ellenére döbbenetesen sokan eljöttek.
The city has grown at an astonishing rate over the last decade.
Learner examples
It costs an astonishing amount of money.
Döbbenetes összegbe kerül.
An astonishing number of people came.
Döbbenetesen sokan jöttek el.
Common mistake:
Often used with quantities (amount/number); avoid using it where a neutral word like 'big' is intended.
Meaning
surprisingly large or extreme
Collocations
an astonishing amount
|an astonishing number
|an astonishing rate
|an astonishing price
|an astonishing level
|an astonishing degree
|astonishing cost
|astonishing growth
|astonishing variety
|astonishing range
Synonyms
staggering (Often used for numbers and suggests shock.)
|
enormous (Describes size/amount but does not always imply surprise.)
|
huge (More informal and less emphatic than 'astonishing'.)
Antonyms
small (Little in size or amount.)
|
modest (Not large or extreme; often pleasantly moderate.)
|
limited (Restricted in size or amount.)
Themes
numbers
|daily_life
|business
Definition
very large or strong in a surprising way
Much larger, greater, or more extreme than expected, in a way that causes surprise.
Grammar
Dictionary form
astonishing
IPA
GB/əstˈɑnɪʃɪŋ/
US/əstˈɑnɪʃɪŋ/
Syllables & stress
as - ton - ish - ing (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ton)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: astonishing
Word family
Core family
Advanced or less common
unastonishing
adjective
Expressions
an astonishing amount of [something]
1/ən əstˈɑnɪʃɪŋ əmˈaʊnt əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
a surprisingly large quantity
a very large amount
Examples
- The project required an astonishing amount of paperwork.
- They waste an astonishing amount of food every week.
- An astonishing amount of data is collected by the app.
Learner examples
- I spent an astonishing amount of money.
an astonishing number of [people/things]
1/ən əstˈɑnɪʃɪŋ nˈʌmbɚ əv pˈipəlθɪŋz/
fixed phrase
a surprisingly large count
a very large number
Examples
- An astonishing number of tickets sold in the first hour.
- An astonishing number of emails arrived overnight.
- An astonishing number of customers complained about the update.
Learner examples
- An astonishing number of people came.
it is astonishing how [clause]
1/ˈɪt ˈɪz əstˈɑnɪʃɪŋ hˈaʊ klˈɔz/
fixed phrase
emphasizes surprise about degree
used to say you are very surprised about how much/quickly/etc. something happens
Examples
- It is astonishing how quickly children learn new words.
- It is astonishing how little time it took to fix the problem.
- It is astonishing how many people believe that rumor.
Learner examples
- It is astonishing how fast the train is.
it is astonishing that [clause]
1/ˈɪt ˈɪz əstˈɑnɪʃɪŋ ðˈæt klˈɔz/
fixed phrase
emphasizes strong surprise about a fact
used to say something is very surprising
Examples
- It is astonishing that no one noticed the mistake earlier.
- It is astonishing that the building was finished ahead of schedule.
- It is astonishing that she remembered every detail.
Learner examples
- It is astonishing that he passed the exam.
what is astonishing is (that) [clause]
1/wˈʌt ˈɪz əstˈɑnɪʃɪŋ ˈɪz ðˈæt klˈɔz/
fixed phrase
highlights the most surprising point
used to introduce the most surprising fact
Examples
- What is astonishing is that the error was repeated for years.
- What is astonishing is how calm she stayed under pressure.
- What is astonishing is that the plan actually worked.