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
But the most sticker shock comes from tomatoes.
—
Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Gaming PCs typically deliver some heavy sticker shock, so snagging a discount of $1,700 on this extremely capable HP Omen machine is very welcome.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 24 May 2026
Any stopgap measures to lower fuel prices, such as tax waivers, would boost demand, which in turn would deepen the alkylate shortage and set up worse sticker shocks for consumers, De Haan said.
—USA Today, 18 May 2026
But even in Louisiana, $4 for gas, the sticker shock.
—ABC News, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sticker shock
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Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Gaming PCs typically deliver some heavy sticker shock, so snagging a discount of $1,700 on this extremely capable HP Omen machine is very welcome.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 24 May 2026
Any stopgap measures to lower fuel prices, such as tax waivers, would boost demand, which in turn would deepen the alkylate shortage and set up worse sticker shocks for consumers, De Haan said.
—USA Today, 18 May 2026
But even in Louisiana, $4 for gas, the sticker shock.
—ABC News, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sticker shock
Cite this Entry
“Sticker shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sticker%20shock. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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