shocked

adjective

ˈshäkt 

1

a

: affected by shock : stricken with sudden mental or emotional disturbance

"Oh, no!" Mrs. Quimby was shocked. "How much is that going to cost?"

—Beverly Cleary

… I am so shocked to see him that I do not know what to do.

—Jane Austen

b

: showing or expressing shock

Her voice faltered as she saw the shocked amazement on her father's face.

—Mary Norton

In place of a roar at the end of the year's most anticipated race, there was only a shocked silence.

—Tim Layden

2

of a mineral : having a crystal structure that has been deformed by exposure to sudden extremely high pressure (as from a meteorite impact or a nuclear blast)

Grains of shocked quartz have long been used as criteria for impact (extraterrestrial objects or nuclear bombs) …

—Stephen Jay Gould

Synonyms

• amazed
• astonished
• astounded
• awestruck
• awestricken
• bowled over
• dumbfounded
• dumfounded
• dumbstruck
• flabbergasted
• stunned
• stupefied
• thunderstruck

Examples of shocked in a Sentence

the escaping bridegroom bid farewell to the shocked wedding guests as he ran out the door

we were shocked at the appalling conditions in the prison

the hikers were so shocked at the sight of a bear that they didn't dare move

Recent Examples on the Web

Merz, visibly shocked, rose to confer with colleagues. —Kirsti Knolle, USA Today, 7 May 2025

The co-worker’s laughter turned into a shocked expression after seeing the winning ticket. —Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2025

When the conversation with Ruth finally came, Prima was not shocked. —Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 4 May 2025

Daughter's Prank On Mom in Starbucks Drive-Thru Goes Viral By Lydia Patrick Life & Trends Reporter Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 0 A stranger waiting in line at Starbucks was left shocked when a mom asked her to buy her toddler a snack—and the internet has applauded her response. —Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing shocked

• shell-shocked
• shocked and dismayed

Rhymes for shocked

• concoct
• deadlocked
• landlocked
• padlocked
• unblocked
• unlocked
• balked
• blocked
• chalked
• clocked
• cocked
• docked