bowl over
verb
bowled over; bowling over; bowls over
transitive verb
1
: to take unawares
2
: impress entry 1 sense 1
Synonyms
- amaze
- astonish
- astound
- dumbfound
- dumfound
- flabbergast
- floor
- rock
- shock
- startle
- stun
- stupefy
- surprise
- surprize
- thunderstrike
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
First Known Use
1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1
bowl over
verb
as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected she was bowled over to learn that she had a long-lost sister Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- surprise
- amaze
- shock
- stun
- rock
- startle
- thunderstrike
- astonish
- take aback
- take by surprise
- dumfound
- blow away
- shake up
- floor
- stupefy
- knock for a loop
- dumbfound
- astound
- flabbergast
- surprize
- jar
- disconcert
- perplex
- daze
- bewilder
- muddle
- blindside
- nonplus
- dismay
- befuddle
- confuse
- discomfit
- confound