stupefaction

noun

stu·​pe·​fac·​tion ˌstü-pə-ˈfak-shən How to pronounce stupefaction (audio)
ˌstyü-
Synonyms of stupefactionnext
: the act of stupefying : the state of being stupefied

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of stupefaction in a Sentence

upon hearing the unexpected news, she just sat there in total stupefaction
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rogan, wearing his persona as a babe-in-the-woods naif, listened to this nonsense in slack-jawed stupefaction. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024 Advertisement The depth of my stupefaction is at the center of a debate playing out on social media, prompted by what seemed to be a definitive ruling on the matter from ketchup giant Heinz. — Emily Heil, Washington Post, 3 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English stupefaccioun, from Medieval Latin stupefaction-, stupefactio, from Latin stupefacere

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stupefaction was in 1603

Rhymes for stupefaction

See All Rhymes for stupefaction

Browse Nearby Words

stupefacient
stupefaction
stupefactive
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stupefaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stupefaction. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Medical Definition

stupefaction

noun
stu·​pe·​fac·​tion ˌst(y)ü-pə-ˈfak-shən How to pronounce stupefaction (audio)
: the act of stupefying or the state of being stupefied
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

'Blue Moon,' 'Wolf Moon,' and Other Moons to Look for Throughout the Year

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All