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Question

Consider the following sentence:"I was awed."Does this mean a stronger emotion than:a) "I was stunned."a) "I was impressed."------------------------THANK YOU.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Christine Christie"I was awed."

That would be unusual, more unusual that the already unusual "I was awestruck."

Christine ChristieDoes this mean a stronger emotion than:a) "I was stunned."

That is a little different. "Stunned" is not normally understood as "awestruck", more like you were rendered incapacitated with shock. Even when it is in a context where it might be understood as something like "awestruck", it is different. It is usually negative, but "All the men in the hotel lobby were stunned when Louisa walked through wearing only her new yellow polka-dot bikini, pony tail bouncing along behind with every high-heeled step, rhinestone sunglasses and perfect makeup failing to completely disguise her contempt for their leering."

Christine Christiea) "I was impressed."

This is much weaker.

CalifJim · Answer

Christine Christie"I was awed."

This one isn't talking to me. I never hear anyone say it. "awed" is a high register word that doesn't come up in conversation. I suppose in a literary context a person could be awed by seeing something spectacularly impressive, so it's stronger than "I was impressed". It carries the idea of something too big or complex even to understand, and sometimes it's even mixed with a feeling of fear.

Christine Christie"I was stunned."

This is being surprised by something very unusual and unexpected — something unbelievable. It's a stronger way of saying "I was surprised". In a literal sense it's being made partially unconscious, as if someone has struck you in the head so hard that you have become unsteady on your feet. But of course you mean it in the metaphoric sense.

Christine Christie"I was impressed."

This is a positive assessment of something you saw or heard. It can express admiration.

CJ

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