amaze
UK /əˈmeɪz/ US /əˈmeɪz/ Syllables: a-maze
Quick answer
To surprise someone so much that they feel wonder or disbelief.
To amaze someone is to surprise them so much that they feel wonder or cannot quite believe it. A magic trick can amaze a child, and a great performance can amaze a whole audience. The word is a little stronger than surprise and is usually positive. You can say it amazes me that she learned so fast. The adjectives are amazed, which describes the person who feels it, and amazing, which describes the thing that causes it.
"The magician's final trick amazed the entire audience."Example sentences
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"The magician amazed the children with a simple card trick."
Level A2
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"It amazes me how fast she can run."
Level B1
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"The size of the building never fails to amaze visitors."
Level B2
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"Her kindness amazed everyone."
Level B1
Synonyms and antonyms
Look-alikes and common mistakes
Word family and forms
Forms: amazes, amazed, amazing
Word partners
Words and phrases that often go with "amaze".
- amaze someone
- it amazes me
- amaze the crowd
- never fails to amaze
- to my amazement
- amaze the audience
Origin
Amaze comes from Old English amasian, which meant to confuse or to stun, built from a prefix and a word that is related to maze. Middle English kept the verb as amasen, and over time the meaning moved from stun and confuse to astonish. It is related to the word maze, a place where you get lost.
Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.
How to remember it
Amaze has maze in it. An amazing thing can leave you feeling lost in a maze of wonder.
Test yourself
Which word fits the gap? "The magician _____ the children with a simple card trick."
Answer: amaze
In your own words, what does "amaze" mean?
To surprise someone so much that they feel wonder or disbelief.
Learn next at A1
- amazed Feeling great surprise or wonder.
- amazing Causing great surprise or wonder because it is so impressive.
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- among Surrounded by, or included within, a group of three or more things.
- amount A quantity of something, especially one that can be measured.
Sources and credits
- Wiktionary, the free dictionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
- Dictionary.com · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
Last reviewed October 20, 2026. Report a mistake on this page