often attributive
1
a(1)
: a sudden or violent mental or emotional disturbance
(2)
: a disturbance in the equilibrium or permanence of something
b
: something that causes such disturbance
the loss came as a shock
c
: a state of being so disturbed
were in shock after they heard the news
2
: a state of profound depression of the vital processes associated with reduced blood volume and pressure and caused usually by severe especially crushing injuries, hemorrhage, or burns
3
: sudden stimulation of the nerves and convulsive contraction of the muscles caused by the discharge of electricity through the animal body
4
5
a
: a violent shake or jar : concussion
b
: an effect of such violence
6
a
7
: the impact or encounter of individuals or groups in combat
shocked; shocking; shocks
1
a
: to strike with surprise, terror, horror, or disgust
b
: to cause to undergo a physical or nervous shock
c
: to subject to the action of an electrical discharge
2
: to drive by or as if by a shock
1
: to cause surprise or shock
an exhibit meant to shock
2
: to meet with a shock : collide
3
cooking
: to halt further cooking of (a vegetable) by submerging in ice water
If you blanch and shock your vegetables (cook them quickly in boiling water, then immerse them in ice water), you'll get a perfectly cooked texture and a nice vibrant color. Once you've done that, you can easily sauté, dress, or grill them.—
Amanda Freitag
Amanda FreitagAnother way to prevent overcooking is to shock the asparagus in an ice bath … The cold water will stop the cooking process as well as bring out the vegetable's naturally bright color and maintain its crisp texture.—Grace Haynes
Grace Haynes
: a thick bushy mass (as of hair)
: a pile of sheaves of grain or stalks of corn set up in a field with the butt ends down
Synonyms
Examples of shock in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the whole railway platform shook from the shock of the two trains colliding
were in shock after they heard the news of the death of the president
Verb (1)
Mom was shocked by the terrible news that her cousin had died in an accident
I was shocked to find out that I was the victim of identity theft
were shocked by the way the law against public intoxication was constantly being broken
the sudden appearance of the ghost shocked us to the core
Recent Examples on the Web
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The Selzer poll has been viewed as evidence that pollsters calling the race a dead heat have been acting out of a desire to seek safety in numbers following the shock 2016 election result that failed to spot latent support for Trump.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
Trefis Team, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024
Currently in a post-shock trial refit, observers expect the USS Ford to re-emerge, ready for action, in mid-2022, departing for a deployment sometime after.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2021
William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Her statement shocked activists on either side of the issue.
—Elizabeth Rees / Made By History, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shock 
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Noun
Harris' clearest path to victory in November would be to win the three blue wall battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, barring any shock results elsewhere.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The Selzer poll has been viewed as evidence that pollsters calling the race a dead heat have been acting out of a desire to seek safety in numbers following the shock 2016 election result that failed to spot latent support for Trump.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Returning to the pre-inflation shock level means that Disney stock will have to gain about 113% if the stock recovers from $93 currently to its pre-shock highs of about $200 per share.
—Trefis Team, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024
Currently in a post-shock trial refit, observers expect the USS Ford to re-emerge, ready for action, in mid-2022, departing for a deployment sometime after.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2021
Verb
The experience of getting shocked activates an engram in the brain, which stores the unpleasant memory.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Her statement shocked activists on either side of the issue.
—Elizabeth Rees / Made By History, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shock
Articles Related to shock
Dictionary Entries Near shock
Cite this Entry
“Shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shock. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shock
1 of 4 noun
: a bunch of sheaves of grain or stalks of corn set on end (as in a field)
shock
2 of 4 noun1
: the sudden violent collision of bodies in a fight
the shock of combat
2
: a violent shake or jerk
an earthquake shock
3
a
: a sudden or violent disturbance of the mind or feelings
the shock of defeat
b
: something that causes such a disturbance
the news came as a shock
c
: a state of being so disturbed
were in shock when they heard the true story
4
: a state of bodily collapse that is often marked by a drop in blood pressure and volume and that is usually caused by a severe injury, burn, or hemorrhage
5
: the effect of a strong charge of electricity passing through the body of a person or animal
shock
3 of 4 verb1
: to strike with surprise, horror, or disgust
were shocked by her behavior
2
: to affect by electrical shock
3
: to drive into or out of by or as if by a shock
shocked the public into action
shocker
noun
shock
4 of 4 noun
: a thick bushy mass
a shock of hair
Etymology
Noun
Middle English shock "bunch of stalks"
Noun
from early French choc "a violent collision, shock," from choquer (verb) "to strike against," from earlier choquier (same meaning); probably of Germanic origin
Noun
from earlier shock (adjective) "bushy," probably derived from shock (noun) "a bunch of stalks" because of the similarity of the appearance of bushy hair to a bunch of stalks of grain
Medical Definition
shock
1 of 2 noun1
: a sudden or violent disturbance in the mental or emotional faculties
2
: a state of profound depression of the vital processes of the body that is characterized by pallor, rapid but weak pulse, rapid and shallow respiration, reduced total blood volume, and low blood pressure and that is caused usually by severe especially crushing injuries, hemorrhage, burns, or major surgery
3
: sudden stimulation of the nerves or convulsive contraction of the muscles that is caused by the discharge through the animal body of electricity from a charged source compare electroconvulsive therapy
shock
2 of 2 transitive verb1
: to cause to undergo a physical or nervous shock
2
: to subject to the action of an electrical discharge
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