: extremely startling, distressing, or offensive
shocking news
Examples of shocking in a Sentence
The number of young teenagers who smoke is shocking.
a shocking waste of money
The building is in a shocking state.
Recent Examples on the Web
Read more: Lakers' Bronny James Among NBA's Elite in One Unique Category
Following the shocking comeback victory, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark could not contain her excitement.
—
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
The shocking 2023 implosion of the OceanGate Titan submersible, which instantly killed all five passengers, is the subject of a damning new documentary from Netflix.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 22 May 2025
Strategic Planning Gaps: Only 12% of CEOs have a formal AI deployment roadmap extending beyond one year—a shocking statistic given that most expect to be judged on AI results within a two-year timeframe.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
While many have praised the tenacity of the 28-year-old Georgia woman, others have expressed doubts about the veracity of her shocking survival story and have criticized her family’s fundraising motives.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocking
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
The shocking 2023 implosion of the OceanGate Titan submersible, which instantly killed all five passengers, is the subject of a damning new documentary from Netflix.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 22 May 2025
Strategic Planning Gaps: Only 12% of CEOs have a formal AI deployment roadmap extending beyond one year—a shocking statistic given that most expect to be judged on AI results within a two-year timeframe.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
While many have praised the tenacity of the 28-year-old Georgia woman, others have expressed doubts about the veracity of her shocking survival story and have criticized her family’s fundraising motives.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocking
Cite this Entry
“Shocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shocking. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shocking
adjective
shock·ing
: causing horror or disgust
a shocking crime
shocking behavior
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share