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Does “ be amazed / astonished by something “ have a positive or negative connotation? Should I use these two expressions in a positive or negative context ? Or are they kind of neutral and could be used both positively and negatively ? In addition, how about “ be fascinated / captivated / mesmerized by something “ ? Are these expressions positive and could be used interchangeably in most contexts ? Could you give me some examples while explaining the differences between these expressions? It would make it much easier for me to understand, I appreciate your help a lot ! Thanks !
Oct 15, 2019 2:51 AM
Answers · 4
It depends on the body language and tone of voice. But usually, I think “Astonished” is more negative than "Amazed".
October 15, 2019
Both can be used in both contexts. Effectively, when given a negative connotation, it is similar to the word 'Stunned' as in "I will be amazed when he finally gets a job" or "I'm astonished by your lack of commitment". Realistically, it depends on what follows these phrases in the sentence as to what the connotation will become. Compared to the first two expressions, "be fascinated, captivated and mesmerised" are more about curiosity. These kinds of phrases usually are seen as positive and are strange if followed by a negative sentence, for e.g. "I am captivated by his ugly face" Naturally, a sentence structure like this is not used by native speakers and instead positive connotations are adopted. Hope this helps!
October 15, 2019
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