The word "dumbfounded" is one of those tricky words that may confuse spellers. The phonetic transcription of the word is /ˈdʌmˌfaʊndɪd/. The "dumb" in "dumbfounded" is pronounced with the "u" sound as in "up." The "b" is pronounced softly, almost as if it were an "m." The "f" sound comes after the "b," and it is effortlessly combined with the "d." Finally, the "ed" ending is pronounced with a short "i" sound. Remembering this phonetic transcription should help spellers to accurately spell "dumbfounded" in the future.
Dumbfounded is an adjective that describes a state or feeling of being utterly shocked, surprised, or astonished to the point of being rendered speechless or unable to think clearly or comprehend what is happening. It refers to a state of being so overwhelmed by an unexpected event or information that one becomes momentarily or temporarily incapable of expressing a reaction.
When someone is dumbfounded, they may feel a sense of disbelief or incredulity due to the suddenness or unexpectedness of the situation. This state of utter astonishment or confusion can be caused by a variety of factors, such as witnessing an extraordinary event, receiving shocking news, or encountering a highly unusual situation.
The term "dumbfounded" often connotes a sense of being struck dumb or speechless, as the prefix "dumb" refers to the inability to speak or articulate one's thoughts. It implies a momentary paralysis of thought or an inability to find words to adequately express one's emotions or reactions.
Overall, being dumbfounded is a state of extreme surprise or astonishment that can leave an individual momentarily perplexed, astonished, and unable to respond verbally due to the overwhelming nature of the situation or event.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "dumbfounded" is derived from two separate elements: "dumb" and "founded".
1. "Dumb": The word "dumb" traces its origins back to the Old English word "dumb", meaning "silent" or "mute". It eventually evolved to also mean "lacking intelligence" or "stupid".
2. "Founded": Here, "founded" is not related to the verb "to found" (as in establish), but rather it is an archaic past participle of the verb "to confound". In older English, "to confound" meant "to confuse" or "to perplex".
The two components combine to form "dumbfounded", which means to be left speechless or bewildered due to astonishment, surprise, or shock.