astonish(v = verb.cognition) amaze, astound - affect with wonder; "Your ability to speak six languages amazes me!"
is one way to surprise
Derived form noun astonishment₁
Sample sentences: The good news will astonish her; The performance is likely to astonish Sue

1.  To stun; to render senseless, as by a blow. [1913 Webster]
"Enough, captain; you have astonished him. [Fluellen had struck Pistol]." [1913 Webster]
"The very cramp-fish [i. e., torpedo] . . . being herself not benumbed, is able to astonish others." [1913 Webster]

2.  To strike with sudden fear, terror, or wonder; to amaze; to surprise greatly, as with something unaccountable; to confound with some sudden emotion or passion. [1913 Webster]
"Musidorus . . . had his wits astonished with sorrow." [1913 Webster]
"I, Daniel . . . was astonished at the vision." [1913 Webster]

astonish, v.tr. amaze; surprise greatly.

Derivative:
astonishing adj. astonishingly adv. astonishment n.

Etymology:
obs. astone f. OF estoner f. Gallo-Roman: see -ISH(2)

VB  wonder, marvel, admire, be surprised, start, stare, open one's eyes, rub one's eyes, turn up one's eyes, gloar, gape, open one's mouth, hold one's breath, look aghast, stand aghast, stand agog, look blank, tombe des nues, not believe one's eyes, not believe one's ears, not believe one's senses, not be able to account for, not know whether one stands on one's head or one's, surprise, astonish, amaze, astound, dumfound, dumfounder, startle, dazzle, daze, strike, strike with wonder, strike with awe, electrify, stun, stupefy, petrify, confound, bewilder, flabbergast, stagger, throw on one's beam ends, fascinate, turn the head, take away one's breath, strike dumb, make one's hair stand on end, make one's tongue cleave to the roof of one's mout, make one stare, take by surprise, be wonderful, beggar description, beggar the imagination, baffle description, stagger belief.

VB  not expect, be taken by surprise, start, miscalculate, not bargain for, come upon, fall upon, be unexpected, come unawares, turn up, pop, drop from the clouds, come upon one, burst upon one, flash upon one, bounce upon one, steal upon one, creep upon one, come like a thunder clap, burst like a thunderclap, thunder bolt, take by surprise, catch by surprise, catch unawares, catch napping, yach, pounce upon, spring a mine upon, surprise, startle, take aback, electrify, stun, stagger, take away one's breath, throw off one's guard, astonish, dumbfound.