Meaning 1
A feeling of delighted awe and curiosity before something remarkable.
Reach for it when naming open attention that combines surprise, pleasure, and desire to understand
The night sky filled the children with wonder.
Meaning 2
A person or thing that causes admiration through an extraordinary quality.
Reach for it when calling something remarkable without claiming it is literally miraculous
The restored clock is a wonder of patient mechanical work.
| Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| everyday | ||
| warm |
| |
| professional | ||
| formal | ||
| literary |
|
everyday
Fits when strong surprise is the immediate feeling
Careful Amazement may pass quickly, while wonder can sustain curiosity.
warm
Fits when desire to understand is stronger than astonishment
Careful Curiosity can arise from an ordinary puzzle with no wonder.
formal
Fits when grandeur or power inspires deep reverence
Careful Awe can include fear and solemnity, while wonder is often curious and delighted.
literary
Fits when delighted admiration suits an elevated voice
Careful Marvel can also name the remarkable object, creating ambiguity.
warm
Fits when an outstanding created work deserves the highest artistic praise
Careful Masterpiece is much stronger and cannot name natural or accidental wonders.
professional
Fits when difficult achievement is what makes the thing remarkable
Careful Feat praises accomplishment and does not apply to every wonder.
professional
phenomenon
Fits when something exceptional can be described neutrally
Careful Phenomenon is analytical and does not carry admiration.
literary
Fits when the thing itself inspires astonishment
Careful Marvel is more elevated and can overstate fine but ordinary work.
sense of wonder
The museum protects a sense of wonder by leaving room for questions.
filled with wonder
Visitors were filled with wonder as the rescued cranes took flight.
engineering wonder
The folding bridge is an engineering wonder built from replaceable parts.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated
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