wonder
/ˈwʌn.dər/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈʌndɚ] /ˈwʌn.dɚ/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈʌndɚ] /ˈwən-dər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈwʌndə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈʌndɚ] /ˈwʌndər/ (ame, ipa)
wonder — noun
- wondersingular
- wondersplural
1. the strong positive feeling you have when you see or experience something beauti
the strong positive feeling you have when you see or experience something beautiful, new, or unexpected — a mix of surprise, pleasure, and a wish to understand it better.
The children watched the shooting star with wide-eyed wonder.
collocation: with wonder
Élise felt a sense of wonder as she walked through the ancient forest for the first time.
collocation: sense of wonder
The newborn baby filled the whole family with wonder and joy.
Visitors to the coral reef stared in wonder at the fish swimming all around them.
Owen lost his sense of wonder about science after years of memorising formulas.
- awe
stronger, mixed with fear or respect; 'He stood in awe of the volcano'
- amazement
focuses on surprise more than admiration; 'To his amazement, the door opened by itself'
- astonishment
great surprise, often without the admiration element
- indifference
lack of interest or feeling
文法句型
fill someone with wonder
in wonder
sense of wonder
with wonder
用法筆記
Used in fixed phrases like 'in wonder', 'with wonder', and 'sense of wonder'. Often collocates with verbs of seeing or experiencing (watch, stare, feel, fill).
常見錯誤
2. something that is very impressive, unusual, or beautiful, especially in nature o
something that is very impressive, unusual, or beautiful, especially in nature or human achievement, making people feel surprise and admiration.
The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world.
collocation: wonder of the world
The new bridge is an engineering wonder that connects two islands.
Dewi spent the afternoon exploring the wonders of the science museum.
It is a wonder that the old house survived the earthquake without any damage.
Lan showed her younger brother the wonders of the night sky through a telescope.
文法句型
the wonders of [noun]
it is a wonder that…
wonder + of + noun
用法筆記
Common in the phrase 'the wonders of [something]' to list impressive features. 'It is a wonder that…' is a fixed expression meaning 'it is surprising that…'.
常見錯誤
3. a person who is extremely talented or effective at doing something, often in a w
a person who is extremely talented or effective at doing something, often in a way that surprises or impresses others.
The young pianist was a wonder at playing Chopin before the age of ten.
pattern: a wonder at [gerund]
Gita is a wonder when it comes to fixing old cars — she can repair almost anything.
In the kitchen, Hugo was an absolute wonder; his cakes won first prize at the fair.
The nurse was a wonder with frightened children, calming them down in minutes.
- miracle worker
more informal and common; 'That teacher is a miracle worker with difficult students'
- genius
focuses on intellectual ability rather than practical skill
- prodigy
specifically a young person with exceptional talent
文法句型
[noun] is a wonder at [gerund/noun]
用法筆記
Used predicatively — 'is a wonder at/with [something]'. This sense is less common in modern everyday speech; 'miracle worker' is a more frequent alternative.
常見錯誤
4. a feeling of curiosity, doubt, or uncertainty that makes you want to ask questio
a feeling of curiosity, doubt, or uncertainty that makes you want to ask questions or find out more about something.
No wonder the cake was so good — Ramón used real butter and fresh eggs.
idiom: no wonder
Small wonder that Sivan felt tired after running fifteen kilometres without stopping.
idiom: small wonder
It is a wonder that Christopher managed to finish the race with a broken shoe.
A sense of wonder about the ocean led Yara to become a marine biologist.
- curiosity
focuses on the desire to know; 'Her curiosity about space led her to study astronomy'
- doubt
more negative, focuses on uncertainty; 'He had his doubts about the plan'
- puzzlement
suggests confusion rather than active curiosity
文法句型
[pronoun] + wonder
no/not/hardly + wonder
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with noun sense 1 but differs in focus: sense 1 emphasises admiration and pleasure, while sense 4 emphasises curiosity and the desire to learn. Most commonly appears in the fixed expressions 'no wonder' and 'small wonder'.
wonder — verb
- wonderpresent simple I / you / we / they
- wondershe / she / it
- wonderedpast simple
- wondering-ing form
1. having questions in your mind because you want to learn more, find answers, or d
having questions in your mind because you want to learn more, find answers, or decide what to do — this is the everyday sense used when you are curious about something.
Jabari wondered why the train was running half an hour late today.
pattern: wonder + why-clause
Nkechi wondered whether her friend would remember their dinner appointment.
pattern: wonder + whether-clause
The children wondered what was inside the big blue box that arrived by post.
Owen often wonders about the meaning of life when he looks up at the stars.
I wonder how the chef manages to prepare such delicious meals in just thirty minutes.
- ponder
more formal, suggests deeper or longer thought; 'She pondered the question for several days'
- speculate
suggests guessing without evidence; 'They speculated about the reasons for the delay'
- ask oneself
more literal and direct; 'I asked myself whether I had made the right choice'
- know
opposite mental state — certainty instead of curiosity
文法句型
wonder + wh-clause (who/what/where/when/why/how)
wonder + whether/if + clause
wonder + about + noun/gerund
wonder + at + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Frequently followed by a wh-clause (what, where, why, how, who) or if/whether. 'Wonder about' is used for general curiosity about a topic. 'Wonder at' (formal) means to feel surprise about.
常見錯誤
2. used to politely introduce a request, question, or suggestion — makes what you a
used to politely introduce a request, question, or suggestion — makes what you are asking sound less direct and more considerate of the other person's willingness.
I wonder if you could help me carry this heavy suitcase down the stairs.
pattern: I wonder if you could + verb
I was wondering whether the meeting might be rescheduled for next Tuesday.
pattern: I was wondering whether… might…
Hugo wondered if the hotel could provide an extra blanket for the cold night.
Gita wondered whether the librarian could suggest a good book about astronomy.
I wonder if you would mind turning down the music while I am on the phone.
- would you mind
similar politeness level but different structure; 'Would you mind closing the window?'
- could you please
slightly less formal; 'Could you please pass the salt?'
- might I ask
more formal; 'Might I ask where you bought that jacket?'
文法句型
I wonder if you could…
I was wondering if you would…
I wonder whether you might…
用法筆記
Past continuous 'I was wondering…' is slightly more polite/hesitant than simple present 'I wonder…'. This sense is NOT about actual wonder/curiosity — it is a fixed polite formula. The following clause typically uses 'could', 'would', or 'might'.
常見錯誤
❌ Using this formula in very informal situations with close friends — sounds too stiff. Use 'Would you mind…?' or 'Could you…?' instead.
3. to feel or show great surprise about something, often mixed with admiration or d
to feel or show great surprise about something, often mixed with admiration or disbelief.
Élise wondered at the skill of the craftsman who carved the wooden statue by hand.
pattern: wonder at + noun
I wondered to see how quickly the bamboo forest had grown back after the storm.
pattern: wonder to [verb]
The scientists wondered at the complex patterns formed by the flock of birds in the sky.
Visitors to the ancient temple wondered at how the huge stone blocks were moved without modern machines.
- marvel at
synonymous but slightly more common; 'Tourists marvel at the size of the skyscraper'
- be amazed at
more common in everyday English; 'I was amazed at her ability to remember names'
- be astonished
stronger surprise; 'He was astonished to learn the truth'
- expect
when something is not surprising because it was anticipated
文法句型
wonder at + noun/gerund
wonder to see/hear/find
用法筆記
Much more formal than verb sense 1. 'Wonder at' specifically means 'feel surprised by' — it is not about wanting to know something. This sense is less common in everyday conversation; 'be amazed at' or 'be astonished by' are more frequent alternatives.
常見錯誤
❌ Using 'wonder at' in casual speech — sounds overly formal. In conversation, say 'I'm amazed at…' instead.
wonder — adjective
- wonderpositive
- wonderercomparative
- wonderestsuperlative
1. extremely good, beautiful, or impressive in a way that fills you with admiration
extremely good, beautiful, or impressive in a way that fills you with admiration or pleasure.
The garden was filled with wonder flowers that bloomed in every colour imaginable.
attributive use before noun
Ramón told us a wonder tale about a dragon that guarded a hidden valley of gold.
At the science fair, Imani was the wonder girl who built a robot from recycled parts.
The exhibition featured a wonder creation made entirely from recycled glass bottles.
- wonderful
the modern, everyday equivalent; 'We had a wonderful time at the beach'
- magnificent
more formal; 'The palace was a magnificent building'
- splendid
old-fashioned but still used; 'What a splendid view!'
- ordinary
not special or impressive
文法句型
wonder + noun
用法筆記
This sense is somewhat old-fashioned or literary. In modern everyday English, 'wonderful' is far more common than the standalone adjective 'wonder'. Typically used before a noun (attributive position).
常見錯誤
2. so impressive, unusual, or beautiful that it causes a strong feeling of surprise
so impressive, unusual, or beautiful that it causes a strong feeling of surprise and admiration.
The wonder machine could print a whole book in less than two minutes.
attributive: wonder + noun (machine)
Children gathered to watch the wonder performance of the acrobat on the tightrope.
The wonder garden contained plants from every continent on Earth.
Yara took her students to see the wonder clock that had moving figures at every hour.
- amazing
much more common in everyday speech; 'We saw an amazing light show'
- astonishing
focuses more on surprise; 'The results were astonishing'
- breathtaking
specifically about visual beauty; 'The view from the mountain was breathtaking'
- unremarkable
not special or worth noticing
文法句型
wonder + noun (age/machine/event/place)
用法筆記
Often used in advertising, tourism, and informal contexts to describe things that are exciting or impressive. Overlaps with sense 1 but is more modern and less literary.
3. extremely effective in a way that seems almost miraculous — used especially for
extremely effective in a way that seems almost miraculous — used especially for medical treatments, products, or methods that achieve far better results than expected.
The new wonder drug helped patients recover from the infection in just three days.
collocation: wonder drug
An inexpensive wonder cream claimed to remove wrinkles overnight, but nobody believed it.
collocation: wonder cream
Scientists are searching for a wonder cure that can stop the disease from spreading.
The kitchen gadget was marketed as a wonder tool that could slice, chop, and peel vegetables instantly.
- miracle
similar meaning but stronger — suggests something truly extraordinary; 'a miracle recovery'
- revolutionary
focuses on how new and different it is; 'a revolutionary treatment for heart disease'
- breakthrough
emphasises that it overcomes a previous limitation; 'a breakthrough vaccine'
- ineffective
not producing the desired effect
文法句型
wonder drug
wonder cure
wonder product
用法筆記
Common in advertising and journalism, often with a sceptical tone — 'wonder drug/cure' may imply the claim is exaggerated. The adjective is always placed before the noun (attributive only).