sticker shock
noun
: astonishment and dismay experienced on being informed of a product's unexpectedly high price
Examples of sticker shock in a Sentence
We left the store suffering severe sticker shock.
Recent Examples on the Web
With the cap increasing and goal-scoring ability always at a premium on the open market, that sort of valuation shouldn’t give us too much sticker shock.
—
Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Home prices across the country are still rising at a faster clip than overall inflation, causing sticker shock for house hunters like the Kataskas.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN, 11 Feb. 2025
The nationwide egg shortage that has resulted in sticker shock for millions of shoppers at grocery stores is even more bizarre in New York City, where organic, cage-free cartons, typically more expensive, now cost less than a regular dozen in some stores.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 7 Feb. 2025
Here’s who got the most money Nov. 8, 2024
AI’s sticker shock
On quarterly earnings calls this year, tech executives often heard questions from Wall Street analysts looking for assurances of future payoffs from huge spending on AI research and development.
—Matt O’Brien and Sarah Parvini, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sticker shock
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.
Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Home prices across the country are still rising at a faster clip than overall inflation, causing sticker shock for house hunters like the Kataskas.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN, 11 Feb. 2025
The nationwide egg shortage that has resulted in sticker shock for millions of shoppers at grocery stores is even more bizarre in New York City, where organic, cage-free cartons, typically more expensive, now cost less than a regular dozen in some stores.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 7 Feb. 2025
Here’s who got the most money Nov. 8, 2024
AI’s sticker shock
On quarterly earnings calls this year, tech executives often heard questions from Wall Street analysts looking for assurances of future payoffs from huge spending on AI research and development.
—Matt O’Brien and Sarah Parvini, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sticker shock
Cite this Entry
“Sticker shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sticker%20shock. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share