Of a person: in a state of great astonishment, confusion, shock, etc., and temporarily at a loss as to what to say or do. Also of a person's expression, reaction, etc.: characterized by or indicative of such a state.
Word Family: The Flabber- Clan
Yes, this word has relatives (though some are rare or jocular):
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Flabbergast | Verb (transitive) | To astonish utterly (“Eva’s disco-ball chandelier flabbergasted the critics.”) |
| Flabbergasting | Adjective | Bewilderingly shocking (“The flabbergasting price of artisan glitter.”) |
| Flabbergastingly | Adverb | In a jaw-dropping manner (“She sang flabbergastingly off-key.”) |
| Flabbergastation | Noun (rare) | The state of being flabbergasted (“The crowd’s flabbergastation was palpable.”) |
Note: Flabbergastation isn’t officially in dictionaries, but it should be—and Eva (the effervescent woman) would absolutely use it.
Pair it with words that amplify its dramatic silliness:
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| Completely/Totally/Utterly flabbergasted | “Lucian was utterly flabbergasted by the kazoo cabinet.” |
| Flabbergasted by [something absurd] | “The critic was flabbergasted by the glitter explosion.” |
| Leave someone flabbergasted | “Eva’s designs leave everyone flabbergasted.” |
| Flabbergasted silence | “A flabbergasted silence fell after the chair giggled.” |