French word

stupéfaire

Pronunciation

IPA/stypefɛʁ/

Meaning

  • verbamaze

Example

Il a stupéfait tout le monde.

He amazed everyone.

Illustration for stupéfaire (amaze)

More examples

La performance continue à stupéfaire le public.

The performance continues to astonish the audience.

Core concept

A person frozen in stunned amazement by a sudden impact or revelation.

Similar words

surprendre: To cause a moment of surprise through an unexpected event or action.
étonner: To astonish someone through something unexpected or strange.
choquer: To cause intense shock or distress by violating moral or social norms.
impressionner: To impress someone through ability, appearance, or another striking quality.

Definition in French

Mettre une personne dans un état de stupeur par une action ou une nouvelle surprenante.

Word origin

Stupéfaire comes from Latin stupefacere, formed from stupere, meaning to be stunned, and facere, meaning to make or do.

Usage tips

  • Stupéfaire is rare and literary in modern French, while stupéfier and être stupéfait are more usual choices.

Related words

Word lists with this word