1
as in stressed
suffering from high levels of physical and especially psychological stress
even after the long furlough, the returning soldiers still felt a little shell-shocked
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
shell-shocked survivors who were in dire need of every kind of help
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Recent Examples of shell-shocked
The Seahawks’ lead grew to 10 and the Delaware contingent – arms crossed, eyes staring blankly at the court – looked shell-shocked.
—
Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Yvonne, still shell-shocked from tragedy and staring down a bowl of what looks like free-range vomit, would beg to differ if the vibes weren’t already so bad.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Mar. 2025
The Etihad looked shell-shocked once again and began fearing what seemed almost inevitable: a late Madrid winner.
—Ben Church, CNN, 12 Feb. 2025
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift appeared to be shell-shocked at how Super Bowl LIX turned out on Sunday as the Kansas City Chiefs fell to the Philadelphia Eagles, 40-22.
—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 11 Feb. 2025
His family, including his wife, actor and singer Mandy Moore, and their three children, were fortunate that their main house survived, yet Goldsmith is shell-shocked by the Eaton fire’s toll.
—August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
The best way to describe Storr’s play this season is shell-shocked.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2025
Last December, Gilman was seated in front of the exact same locker, shell-shocked by what had just transpired on the field.
—Daniel Popper, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
The Magic at first appeared shell-shocked by Wagner’s injury.
—Josh Robbins, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Yvonne, still shell-shocked from tragedy and staring down a bowl of what looks like free-range vomit, would beg to differ if the vibes weren’t already so bad.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Mar. 2025
The Etihad looked shell-shocked once again and began fearing what seemed almost inevitable: a late Madrid winner.
—Ben Church, CNN, 12 Feb. 2025
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift appeared to be shell-shocked at how Super Bowl LIX turned out on Sunday as the Kansas City Chiefs fell to the Philadelphia Eagles, 40-22.
—Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 11 Feb. 2025
His family, including his wife, actor and singer Mandy Moore, and their three children, were fortunate that their main house survived, yet Goldsmith is shell-shocked by the Eaton fire’s toll.
—August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
The best way to describe Storr’s play this season is shell-shocked.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2025
Last December, Gilman was seated in front of the exact same locker, shell-shocked by what had just transpired on the field.
—Daniel Popper, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
The Magic at first appeared shell-shocked by Wagner’s injury.
—Josh Robbins, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell-shocked
Adjective
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Another profile of a dangerously stressed studio executive, The Player takes the form of a satirical thriller.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
7 Mar. 2025
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Made from 1922 to 1931, the Lambda was the first automobile to have a unibody design, all the more remarkable without the benefit of a stressed roof, as most Lambdas were four-door convertibles.—
Raphael Orlove,
Robb Report,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Seconds earlier, Allat arrives on the scene and finds a man injured on the road, dazed and holding his knee.—
Michael Dorgan,
Fox News,
7 Mar. 2025
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When Diana Ross announced her as the 1974 winner, a dazed Flack put her hand over her mouth.—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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More than a year later, the campus remains in a state of bewildered unease.—
Nathan Heller,
The New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2025
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But for many bewildered observers, both explanations for Trump’s extraordinary pivot to the Kremlin seem equally misplaced.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Imagine how confused ordinary taxpayers are by this ridiculous, irresponsible, intergovernmental spat.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
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Tuna was both curious and confused as to why Evelyn dared to leave his side.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Who remembers the 2005 headline-making story of how Banksy snuck a painting into the Metropolitan Museum of Art disguised with a fake beard and trench coat, while two accomplices argued with a distracted security guard?—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
18 Mar. 2025
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Ivy seemed slightly distracted by Gable’s sudden appearance, which allowed Dakota Kai to open with a flurry of offense.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Her dizzy socialite Tanya brought a hilariously chaotic energy to The White Lotus’ first two seasons, and without her, things do get a little darker and more thoughtful in Season 3.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
13 Feb. 2025
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Now, these two Englishmen turn their attention to the dizzy industry heights of Los Angeles — where Park has claimed victory four times before, of course — with stops at the animation world’s Annie Awards and the BAFTAs on the way.—
Lily Ford,
The Hollywood Reporter,
10 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shell-shocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell-shocked. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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