Astonished vs. surprised: what’s the difference?
The short answer
Astonished implies a stronger, more overwhelming sense of disbelief compared to surprised, which is milder and more common.
What they have in common
Both astonished and surprised describe a reaction to something unexpected or unusual.
Examples
astonished
- She was astonished by the magician’s tricks.
- We were astonished to find out we had won the lottery.
surprised
- He was surprised to see her at the party.
- I was surprised by how quickly the time passed.
Which one is more common?
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