Meaning & use

speechless

adjective·Everyday

Temporarily unable to speak because of strong emotion such as shock, surprise, or admiration.

See it in a sentence

She was left speechless when her coworkers surprised her with the award.

The judges sat speechless after the young singer's flawless performance.

A note on using this word

Speechless describes a temporary emotional reaction, unlike mute, which refers to a permanent inability to speak.

Words with a similar meaning

dumbfoundedstunnedwordless

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “speechless”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.