1
as in collision
a forceful coming together of two things
the whole railway platform shook from the shock of the two trains colliding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in astonishment
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual
were in shock after they heard the news of the death of the president
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to appal
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
were shocked by the way the law against public intoxication was constantly being broken
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to scare
to strike with fear
the sudden appearance of the ghost shocked us to the core
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shock
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Pop music is and has always been about shock and awe.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
The shakeup shocked royal watchers as the new hue marked Kate's boldest hair transformation to date, and the length also appeared to be the longest ever.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shock
Noun
The risk is particularly high in regions such as Crete, the Ionian Islands, and the Aegean Sea, though even Athens has felt significant shocks in recent decades.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Pop music is and has always been about shock and awe.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
But then Bolillo grew into his full, adult body and shocked everyone.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
The shakeup shocked royal watchers as the new hue marked Kate's boldest hair transformation to date, and the length also appeared to be the longest ever.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shock
Noun
-
Its systems act as a 3D camera, tracking up to 15,000 collisions each second.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Callahan was given citations for following too closely, failure to exercise due care to avoid a collision with a horse on the highway, and unreasonable speed, according to authorities.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Dershowitz during the impeachment trial offered an expansive defense of presidential power that provoked astonishment among Democrats.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
30 Aug. 2025
-
Despite its tattered state, the sofa's unique silhouette and designer pedigree drew astonishment on Reddit.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The battle was turbo-charged when Powell surprised markets with a 50 basis point inflation hike in September last year, seen by some as a gift to Trump’s Democratic Party election rival Kamala Harris.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
In a move that surprised some, the Republican governor’s proclamation also called on lawmakers to weaken the state’s initiative petition process, a more than a century-old mechanism for direct democracy that allows citizens to put measures on the ballot.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Yet, at the same time, automation scares people.—
Arthur Azizov,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Parents, scared by the specter of brain damage, are reluctant to let their kids play tackle football.—
Seth Wickersham,
The Atlantic,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Instead of a jolt, the boost felt smooth and natural—as if my legs had joined a gym without telling me.—
Denny Lee,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Every so often, a collab comes along that jolts luxury out of autopilot — reminding us with gratitude that the industry isn’t stuck on repeat.—
Jeetendr Sehdev,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In the clip filmed by tour guide Captain John Shields, a white bottle nose dolphin is seen swimming up to the surface with its fin poking in and out of the water repeatedly as tourists watch on in amazement from their boat.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
25 Aug. 2025
-
It was named after the Piedmontese exclamation of amazement at seeing something beautiful.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Leo’s appalled; Geno looks forward to eating.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
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Trump’s victories against the bureaucracy have appalled many Democrats, though none have much of a theory on how to put Humpty Dumpty back together.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The 90-yard dash along the right sideline one play after Ruvalcaba’s interception amazed his teammates.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Having an almost 80-year-old actor at the heart of the film and in almost every scene could be a huge undertaking, but Touzani says Maura’s vitality amazed her.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shock. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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