1
as in startling
causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness
we all clustered around to hear the shocking news of our colleague's sudden death
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2
as in terrifying
causing fear
the shocking appearance of a shark just a few yards off shore
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3
as in sickening
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
the shocking behavior of some rowdies at the dance
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4
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
a soldier who had witnessed the shocking sight of his best friend being killed
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1
as in appalling
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
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2
as in surprising
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
were shocked by the way the law against public intoxication was constantly being broken
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3
as in frightening
to strike with fear
the sudden appearance of the ghost shocked us to the core
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shocking
Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Sep. 2025
Perhaps most shocking and sycophantic is an appearance by Chris Rock in Ye’s dressing room after the altercation.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
This is shocking rhetoric even in 2025, when the far right has embraced race science and the federal government could be mistaken for pursuing the aims of the Proud Boys.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocking
Adjective
The star recalls shocking vegan comedian Ellen DeGeneres with a gift ham.
—Verb
The chemistry between Johnson & Blunt is genuine & touching, elevating the drama w/ shocking emotional depth.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for shocking
Adjective
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These systems can test your personality with startling accuracy.—
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The sheep alien bangs its head on the glass in the nextdoor cell, startling Tootles, who falls over and spills the tray.—
Adjective
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Last year, a woman in France shared hair-raising footage of her terrifying encounter with a spider.—
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The existentialist who sits at my desk feels we are each individually thrown into the deep end of existence and tasked with swimming, and that this is a terrifying and heavy task.—
Adjective
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To come in and have [designers] fight over my Polaroid would be so sickening, or even a judge on the show.—
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Man arrested for sickening act at Charlie Kirk memorial outside Turning Point HQ MAJOR HEADLINES PARTY POWERPLAY – Zohran Mamdani lands key endorsement in New York City mayoral race.—
Adjective
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The crew have put two giant skeletons with their arms in the air like gruesome wacky waving inflatable tube men at the Farm's entrance to catch your eye and indicate where the spooky fun is at.—
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The fake blood trapped between the layers bursts out at the incision point, replicating in gruesome detail the sensation of real bleeding.—
Verb
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After tense standoffs with Mallory (Crystle Stewart) and Horace's ex-wife, Olivia (Debbi Morgan), Kimmie enters the meeting and promptly takes it over, surprising the family with her mind for numbers.—
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Detroit rapper Kash Doll pulled out all the stops for her boyfriend, NFL star Za’Darius Smith’s 33rd birthday, surprising him with a custom ride that has fans talking.—
Verb
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Instances of swatting have been plaguing the nation for years, with fake shooting threats frightening the public and forcing schools, hospitals, grocery stores, office buildings, and airports into temporary lockdowns.—
Adjective
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The aluminum body is slim and light but still feels sturdy, and the OLED screen makes movies and presentations look amazing anywhere.—
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Many are amazing kids who’ve just been through terrible things and had no control over any of it.—
Adjective
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Kimmel, who has spent most of his late-night career as a flippant but not particularly scandalous figure, acknowledged just how scary things had become that the White House might take aim at him.—
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Halloween, naturally scary, but also naturally really weird.—
Cite this Entry
“Shocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shocking. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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