jaw-dropping

adjective

ˈjȯ-ˌdrä-piŋ How to pronounce jaw-dropping (audio)
Definition of jaw-droppingnext
as in amazing
causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness the jaw-dropping prices for high-end modern art at the auction houses this season

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of jaw-dropping This version lost eight league games before Christmas, and the most memorable of those came in September at Villa Park, thanks to Ronnie Rosenthal’s jaw-dropping, era-defining miss. — Amitai Winehouse, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 The jaw-dropping, heart-stopping core of this novel is about grief, and about the unwavering march of time. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026 With action that’s alternately jaw-dropping and campy, the newest Street Fighter will punch and kick its way into theaters nearly 40 years after the franchise first launched. — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 But no one has generated that feeling more than Mahomes, starting with some jaw-dropping throws in his first NFL start in the 2017 regular-season finale and accelerating with his true debut in 2018 with 10 touchdown passes in the first two games. — Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jaw-dropping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jaw-dropping
  1. amazing
  2. startling
  3. surprising
  4. stunning
  5. shocking
  6. astonishing
Adjective
  • This is amazing because everyone gets great views and natural light.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • This is him in 2014 when a lot of people were like, ‘This guy is amazing.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of amazing
Adjective
  • Wen shows us the startling range of what the body can emote even when trauma renders words inaccessible.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Cornell engineering professor Rob Shepherd sought to design a large, silent underwater robot to monitor ocean health without startling marine life.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of startling
Adjective
  • This format travels across the country uncovering uplifting, emotional and often surprising stories of pets, their owners and the veterinary professionals dedicated to their care.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • What to know about the Commanders (1-2) Dan Quinn’s Commanders are fresh off the most surprising result of this young season.
    — Elise Devlin, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of surprising
Adjective
  • The stunning failure in Tennessee's execution chamber on Wednesday has left both sides of the death penalty debate demanding answers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The stunning failure in Tennessee’s execution chamber on Wednesday has left both sides of the death penalty debate demanding answers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of stunning
Adjective
  • Her inciting incident is eventually bookended in equally shocking fashion.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Continue reading … -- POLITICS LIFE OR DEATH — Conservative group unveils campaign in key state to expose ‘shocking’ Dem platform.
    — , FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, had recently disclosed astonishing details about how its artificial intelligence agents had broken out of their systems, hacked into another company and tried to cover their tracks.
    — Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Beyond attempting to smooth the industry’s many ruffled feathers, Hollywood’s newest mogul must now also wrestle down an astonishing $80 billion in debt accrued as a result of this highly leveraged merger.
    — Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of astonishing

Browse Nearby Words

jaw-droppers
jaw-dropping
jawed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jaw-dropping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jaw-dropping. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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 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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All