Stunning Spell

• Incantation: Stupefy
• Pronunciation: STOO-puh-fye
• Wand Movement: Not specified in the books.
• Light: A jet of brilliant red light.
• Effect: Renders a living target unconscious. It is a non-lethal spell used to incapacitate an opponent, also known as a Stunner or Stunning Jinx.
• Type: Charm

The Stunning Spell is one of the most practical and widely used spells in combat, favoured by both Aurors and Death Eaters for its effectiveness in subduing opponents without causing permanent harm.

• Quidditch World Cup: Ministry of Magic wizards used Stunning Spells to subdue Muggles who had been levitated and tortured by Death Eaters. They also used it to stun Winky the house-elf when she was found with Harry Potter's wand.
• Triwizard Tournament: The spell was used during the Third Task. Harry Potter stunned a Blast-Ended Skrewt, and an Imperiused Viktor Krum stunned Cedric Diggory. Barty Crouch Jr., posing as Alastor Moody, stunned a spider in a Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson.
• Dumbledore's Army: Harry Potter taught the Stunning Spell to the members of Dumbledore's Army as a fundamental duelling spell in preparation for fighting Lord Voldemort and his followers.
• Battle of the Department of Mysteries: The spell was used extensively by both the D.A. members and the Death Eaters. Hermione Granger successfully stunned a Death Eater before being incapacitated herself. Harry Potter also stunned Lucius Malfoy during the confrontation.
• Attack on Minerva McGonagall: During an attempt by Dolores Umbridge to remove Rubeus Hagrid from Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall was hit by four Stunning Spells simultaneously while defending him. This powerful assault was severe enough to require her transfer to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, demonstrating that multiple Stunners can be extremely dangerous.
• Battle of the Astronomy Tower: The spell was used frequently during the Death Eater invasion of Hogwarts. Harry Potter attempted to stun Severus Snape multiple times as Snape fled the castle, but Snape effortlessly deflected them.
• Battle of the Seven Potters: Stunning Spells were exchanged between members of the Order of the Phoenix and the Death Eaters during the aerial battle.
• On the Run: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger used Stunning Spells to escape from Death Eaters Antonin Dolohov and Thorfinn Rowle in a London café.
• Battle of Hogwarts: The Stunning Spell was one of the most common spells used by the defenders of Hogwarts. Harry stunned Amycus Carrow in Ravenclaw Tower before using the Cruciatus Curse on him. Percy Weasley also used it to incapacitate the Imperiused Pius Thicknesse, the Minister for Magic.

The Stunning Spell is considered essential for duelling and is part of the standard curriculum for the Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations. Highly skilled wizards, such as Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, can cast the spell non-verbally. The primary counter-spell is the Reviving Spell, whose incantation is Rennervate. This spell awakens someone who has been stunned. The Shield Charm, Protego, can be used to block a Stunning Spell. It can also be dodged or blocked by solid objects.

The incantation, Stupefy, is derived from the Latin verb stupefacere, which translates to “to make stupid or numb” or “to stun.” This is a compound of the words stupere (“to be stunned, go numb”) and facere (“to make”). The English word “stupefy,” meaning to daze or bewilder, comes from this same root.

• In the film adaptations, the Stunning Spell is often depicted with a significant kinetic force, capable of throwing a target backwards several feet. In the books, the effect is typically described as causing the target to simply freeze or collapse where they stand (film).
• The spell is a primary offensive spell available to the player in many of the *Harry Potter* video games (video game).