✅  Amaze and astonish both mean to make someone feel full of surprise or wonder. Amaze can suggest something startling, shocking, or seems inexplicable (I was truly amazed by the Grand Canyon). Astonished is similar, but more intense (The discovery astonished them).

✅  Amaze often has positive connotations (They amazed her with their transformation). Astonish is more neutral—it is commonly used in both positive contexts (He astonished them with his insight) and negative ones (His lack of awareness astonished her).

✅  Astonish suggests your surprise or sense of wonder is so intense that you’re bewildered by it. You might even be shocked or shaken (I was astonished at the sight).

Be amazed by these synonyms for astonish!

✅  Respect is the best word to describe having a good opinion of someone and valuing their input and thoughts (have respect for your teacher).

✅  Veneration is a more intense word than respect, and can suggest religious reverence or admiration (show veneration for your elders). Veneration suggests that you may be so devoted to someone that you’ll do what they say because of that devotion.

✅  Sometimes respect simply means that you need to do what someone says (You must show respect for your leader).

✅  Respect also may mean to abide by something (Treat the rules with respect). But you wouldn’t use veneration in this context.

Get some respect from your peers with these synonyms for veneration!

✅  Review and criticism both refer to an examination and judgment of something, often published in writing, like in a newspaper, magazine, or blog (book review; film criticism).

✅  Both words can be used in reference to movies or the theater, but when you’re discussing books, review is less formal than criticism. Criticism usually refers to a longer and more in-depth piece of work than review.

✅  Criticism, in this sense, doesn’t suggest that the ultimate judgment will necessarily be bad. It’s critical because it involves deep thinking and exploration of a topic, and often the drawing of independent conclusions.

Why don’t you try writing a movie review with the help of Grammar Coach?