flabbergast
/ˈflæbə(ˌ)ɡɑːst/
flabbergast means an awkward person. It carries an Arena rating of 1946, earned across 12 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, flabbergast ranks #17 of 42,747 for Qualifying, #25 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #40 of 17,163 for Funniest Words, #263 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound.
flabbergast is pronounced /ˈflæbə(ˌ)ɡɑːst/.
Why “flabbergast” is a great word
To overwhelm utterly with shock or surprise in a ludicrous or striking manner, leaving one momentarily stupefied. Its origin is uncertain; possibly an 18th-century dialectal (Suffolk/Sussex) formation from elements suggesting 'flabby', 'flap' (to strike), or 'flabrigast' (to boast) combined with 'aghast' (struck with terror). Unlike astonish, which implies a more general surprise, or bewilder, which dwells on resulting confusion, to be flabbergasted is to be struck into a state of total cognitive arrest. It is the jaw genuinely going slack, the brain refusing to process an elephant in a suburban garden, and the perfect, speechless void that follows a joke of sublime absurdity—a brief, warm suspension in the pure, silent air of disbelief.
Etymology
The origin of the verb is uncertain; possibly dialectal (Suffolk), from flabby or flap (“to strike”) + aghast. The word may be related to Scottish flabrigast (“to boast”) or flabrigastit (“worn out with exertion”). The noun is derived from the verb.
noun
- An awkward person.
- Overwhelming confusion, shock, or surprise.e.g.“His flabbergast was so great he couldn’t even come up with a plausible answer.”
verb
- To overwhelm with bewilderment; to amaze, confound, or stun, especially in a ludicrous manner.e.g.“He was flabbergasted to find that his work had been done for him before he began.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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