Amazement is the feeling you get when something surprises you so completely that you can barely believe what you're seeing or hearing. It's that moment when your jaw drops, your eyes widen, and you think “Wow!” or “How is that possible?”

You might feel amazement watching a magician make a car vanish on stage, even though you know it's a trick. You might stare in amazement at the Grand Canyon when you first see how impossibly vast it is. A student might watch in amazement as their science teacher demonstrates how a tiny seed contains everything needed to grow into a towering tree.

Amazement is stronger than simple surprise. Being surprised might mean someone throws you a party you didn't expect. Amazement means you're so stunned by something wonderful, strange, or impressive that you're temporarily speechless. The related word amaze means to cause this feeling: a gymnast's perfect routine might amaze the judges, or a child's question might amaze their teacher with its insight.

Notice that amazement usually involves something positive or at least fascinating. You feel amazement at things that expand your sense of what's possible, whether that's an incredible athletic feat, a breathtaking natural wonder, or a discovery that changes how you understand the world.