Speechlessness is the state of being so overwhelmed by emotion or surprise that you temporarily can't speak. When something leaves you speechless, words simply won't come, no matter how hard you try to find them.

You might experience speechlessness after receiving shocking news, whether wonderful or terrible. A student who unexpectedly wins a major award might stand speechless at the podium, mind racing but mouth silent. Someone who witnesses something breathtaking, like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, might find themselves in stunned speechlessness.

The feeling is different from just not knowing what to say. In speechlessness, your thoughts and feelings are so intense they seem to jam up the pathway between your brain and your mouth. You know you should speak, you want to speak, but nothing comes out.

Speechlessness can result from joy, fear, anger, awe, or disbelief. A child who opens a birthday present they'd given up hoping for might experience a moment of pure speechlessness before finally squealing with delight. Someone confronted with an outrageous lie might stare in speechless disbelief, unable to begin formulating a response to something so absurd.