Causing someone to be completely shocked or unable to respond; extremely surprising or confusing.
Present participle of 'dumfound', combining 'dumb' with 'found' (an archaic form meaning 'sunk'). The '-ing' form creates an adjective describing the effect something has on a person.
We use '-ing' adjectives like 'dumfounding,' 'shocking,' and 'amazing' to describe something that actively affects us—they capture the moment of impact, not just the state afterward. It's why 'dumfounding' feels more vivid than 'dumbfounded'.
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