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
The latest casualty: parents experiencing the sticker shock of summer camp.
—
Nancy Chen, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2024
Although food inflation is stabilizing — grocery prices remained flat in February from a month earlier, and some items, such as rice, chicken, milk and coffee, actually got cheaper — families are still experiencing sticker shock at the checkout line.
—Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
Customers expect to empty their wallets there, and experience less sticker shock.
—Meghan McCarron, Bon Appétit, 1 Feb. 2024
The landscape for pure EV companies has gotten more difficult in the past year, as some customers are proving reluctant to make the switch to full-electric vehicles, citing sticker shock and unreliable charging networks.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2024
For customers, that might mean sticker shock when a $35 menu item in theory could now be listed at $42; for many restaurants, the fallout could be a decrease in business.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024
Yet a common experience has emerged among this new cohort of teetotalers, industry experts say: sticker shock at the price of their nonalcoholic beverages.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 13 Jan. 2024
Last month, the Free Press reported that one fan, for instance, felt the sting of season ticket sticker shock.
—Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 19 Jan. 2024
Shop 15 of the best deals below to enjoy the fun color and high quality of Le Creuset’s offerings without any of the sticker shock.
—Rachel Simon, Travel + Leisure, 13 Feb. 2024
Nancy Chen, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2024
Although food inflation is stabilizing — grocery prices remained flat in February from a month earlier, and some items, such as rice, chicken, milk and coffee, actually got cheaper — families are still experiencing sticker shock at the checkout line.
—Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
Customers expect to empty their wallets there, and experience less sticker shock.
—Meghan McCarron, Bon Appétit, 1 Feb. 2024
The landscape for pure EV companies has gotten more difficult in the past year, as some customers are proving reluctant to make the switch to full-electric vehicles, citing sticker shock and unreliable charging networks.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2024
For customers, that might mean sticker shock when a $35 menu item in theory could now be listed at $42; for many restaurants, the fallout could be a decrease in business.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024
Yet a common experience has emerged among this new cohort of teetotalers, industry experts say: sticker shock at the price of their nonalcoholic beverages.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 13 Jan. 2024
Last month, the Free Press reported that one fan, for instance, felt the sting of season ticket sticker shock.
—Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 19 Jan. 2024
Shop 15 of the best deals below to enjoy the fun color and high quality of Le Creuset’s offerings without any of the sticker shock.
—Rachel Simon, Travel + Leisure, 13 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sticker shock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sticker shock
Cite this Entry
“Sticker shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sticker%20shock. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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