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AMAZEMENT.

Synonyms:

admiration, awe, confusion, surprise,
astonishment, bewilderment, perplexity, wonder.

_Amazement_ and _astonishment_ both express the momentary overwhelming
of the mind by that which is beyond expectation. _Astonishment_
especially affects the emotions, _amazement_ the intellect. _Awe_ is the
yielding of the mind to something supremely grand in character or
formidable in power, and ranges from apprehension or dread to reverent
worship. _Admiration_ includes delight and regard. _Surprise_ lies
midway between _astonishment_ and _amazement_, and usually respects
matters of lighter consequence or such as are less startling in
character. _Amazement_ may be either pleasing or painful, as when
induced by the grandeur of the mountains, or by the fury of the storm.
We can say pleased _surprise_, but scarcely pleased _astonishment_.
_Amazement_ has in it something of _confusion_ or _bewilderment_; but
_confusion_ and _bewilderment_ may occur without _amazement_, as when a
multitude of details require instant attention. _Astonishment_ may be
without _bewilderment_ or _confusion_. _Wonder_ is often pleasing, and
may be continuous in view of that which surpasses our comprehension; as,
the magnitude, order, and beauty of the heavens fill us with increasing
_wonder_. Compare PERPLEXITY.

Antonyms:

anticipation, composure, expectation, preparation, steadiness,
calmness, coolness, indifference, self-possession, stoicism.

Preposition:

I was filled with amazement _at_ such reckless daring.

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AMBITION.

Synonyms:

aspiration, competition, emulation, opposition, rivalry.

_Aspiration_ is the desire for excellence, pure and simple. _Ambition_,
literally a going around to solicit votes, has primary reference to the
award or approval of others, and is the eager desire of power, fame, or
something deemed great and eminent, and viewed as a worthy prize. The
prizes of _aspiration_ are virtue, nobility, skill, or other high
qualities. The prizes of _ambition_ are advancement, fame, honor, and
the like. There is a noble and wise or an ignoble, selfish, and harmful
_ambition_. _Emulation_ is not so much to win any excellence or success
for itself as to equal or surpass other persons. There is such a thing
as a noble _emulation_, when those we would equal or surpass are noble,
and the means we would u