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awed

Other forms: awedly

When you're awed by something, you're amazed and maybe a little bit intimidated by it. The first time kids see a fireworks display, they're often awed by it.

The first time you visit a big city, you might wander around looking up at the skyscrapers with an awed expression on your face. When you're awed, you're full of wonder that's tinged with fear or confusion. It's generally big, impressive things that leave you awed. A new father holding his baby might be awed, for example. Awed comes from awe, "amazement," which has a Scandinavian root and is related to the Old Norse word agi, or "fright."

Definitions of awed
  1. adjective
    inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence
    awed by the silence”
    synonyms: awful
    reverent
    feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
  2. adjective
    having or showing a feeling of mixed reverence and respect and wonder and dread
    “stood in awed silence before the shrine”
    synonyms: awestricken, awestruck
    overawed
    overcome by a feeling of awe
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    unawed
    not awed
    aweless, awless
    devoid of any feeling of awe or reverence
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘awed'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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