amaze
B1Neutral to formal in verb form; colloquial in exclamation "Amazing!"
Definition
Meaning
to cause someone to feel great surprise or wonder
To overwhelm with surprise, astonishment, or admiration, often implying a powerful emotional response to something unexpected or extraordinary.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a positive reaction, though can be neutral. Stronger than 'surprise'; closer to 'astonish' or 'astound'. The adjective form 'amazing' is frequently used as a general intensifier in colloquial speech, sometimes weakening its core meaning.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The verb 'amaze' is used identically. The exclamation "Amazing!" is perhaps more prevalent in casual American speech as a general positive reaction.
Connotations
In UK English, 'amazed' can sometimes carry a slight nuance of being bewildered or perplexed, not just positively surprised. In US English, the positive connotation is more dominant.
Frequency
The adjective 'amazing' is extremely high-frequency in both varieties, especially in informal contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Sb] amazes [Sb][Sb] is amazed at/by [sth][Sb] is amazed (that) clauseIt amazes [Sb] (that) clauseVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Never ceases to amaze me”
- “Amazed beyond belief”
- “Stand amazed”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare for core operations. Used in marketing or PR: "The new results will amaze our investors."
Academic
Used in humanities or social sciences to describe reactions to discoveries or phenomena. More common in adjective form: "an amazing correlation."
Everyday
Very common, especially as an adjective: "That's amazing news!" "I'm amazed you finished so quickly."
Technical
Uncommon in formal technical writing. May appear in popular science communication.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The magician's final trick never fails to amaze the entire theatre.
- It amazes me how quickly the weather can change on the coast.
- She was genuinely amazed by the generosity of complete strangers.
American English
- His ability to fix anything continues to amaze his neighbors.
- It just amazes me that you got those tickets for free.
- We were all amazed at the sheer size of the Grand Canyon.
adverb
British English
- The team played amazingly well to secure the victory.
- She sings amazingly for someone with no formal training.
- Amazingly, the old car started on the first try.
American English
- The stock performed amazingly this past quarter.
- He cooks amazingly good barbecue.
- Amazingly, nobody was hurt in the accident.
adjective
British English
- The view from the cliff top was truly amazing.
- He told an amazing story about his travels in the Amazon.
- For an amateur baker, her cakes are amazing.
American English
- She did an amazing job on the project presentation.
- We had an amazing time at the concert last night.
- That's just amazing! I can't believe you remembered.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The little boy was amazed by the big elephant.
- This cake tastes amazing!
- I am amazed you can speak two languages.
- The scientist's discovery amazed the whole world.
- It amazes me how fast technology changes.
- We had an amazing holiday in Spain.
- Her capacity for work never ceases to amaze her colleagues.
- I was utterly amazed by the intricacy of the ancient manuscript.
- Amazingly, the fragile vase survived the journey intact.
- The sheer audacity of the plan both horrified and amazed the board members.
- He never publicly showed it, but he remained privately amazed at his own success.
- What continues to amaze historians is the rapidity of the empire's collapse.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a maze (sounds like 'amaze') so incredible and surprising that anyone who enters it is filled with wonder.
Conceptual Metaphor
WONDER IS A PHYSICAL IMPACT (It hit me with amazement / I was struck with amazement).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'увлекать' (to fascinate/engage). 'Amaze' is about surprise, not engagement. The closer Russian equivalent is 'поражать', 'изумлять'. The colloquial 'amazing' is often overtranslated as 'удивительный' when 'отличный' or 'прекрасный' might fit the weakened meaning.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'amaze' without an object (e.g., 'I amazed' instead of 'I was amazed' or 'It amazed me').
- Overusing 'amazing' as a generic positive adjective, diluting its meaning.
- Confusing 'amazed at' (general cause) and 'amazed by' (specific agent): often interchangeable, but 'by' can feel more direct.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'amaze' used INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly, but not exclusively. You can be 'amazed' at someone's stupidity or at a negative event, implying shocked disbelief. However, the default connotation is positive wonder.
'Surprise' is the most general. 'Astonish' and 'amaze' are stronger, with 'astonish' suggesting a temporary loss of mental composure, and 'amaze' implying wonder and admiration, often longer-lasting.
Because in informal speech, 'amazing' is often used as a vague, all-purpose positive word (like 'great' or 'cool'), which weakens its precise meaning of causing great surprise or wonder. Using more specific adjectives enriches writing.
Yes, though less common. It emphasizes an ongoing state of causing wonder. E.g., 'The evolving artwork is amazing everyone who sees it.' More common with the adjective: 'The results are amazing.'