shock value

noun

: usefulness to surprise and usually upset people

He uses offensive language for (its) shock value.

Examples of shock value in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In an outcome that rivaled 1948 for shock value, Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016, due in part to late-campaign preference shifts that polls mostly failed to detect in such key states as Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. —W. Joseph Campbell, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024

And the social impact, of course, goes far beyond the shock value of viral videos. —David McKenzie, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024

The goal was to diminish the shock value of any retaliation by Beijing for Pelosi’s trip, a senior White House official says. —TIME, 29 Feb. 2024

Don’t leave her in a bind; don’t put shock value on it. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2023

That film strikes a remarkable balance, using its more graphic moments to enhance the story’s gravity rather than for shock value alone. —Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024

Sophia says that Cutler would routinely represent Nazi imagery despite being Black, mainly for shock value. —Ali Winston, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2024

That made his presence at practice have significantly less shock value. —Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024

Hoarding and 'shock value' Treatments for hoarding disorder, naturally, will vary depending on severity. —David Oliver, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2024