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
Yet readers aren’t imagining the sticker shock.
—
Josh Rivera, USA Today, 14 June 2026
Cheri Young, an associate professor at the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management at the University of Denver, told Campus Insights Media that travelers should brace for sticker shock this year.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
While the sticker shock of what is typically a $13 trip enraged the masses—the price was initially announced at $150 in April, before it got knocked down to 98 bucks in the face of public backlash—some observers, particularly those from Europe, scoffed at all the outrage.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 11 June 2026
Catherine Lane/Getty Images Few household problems create more frustrations or more sticker shock than a malfunctioning air conditioner.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sticker shock
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Josh Rivera, USA Today, 14 June 2026
Cheri Young, an associate professor at the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management at the University of Denver, told Campus Insights Media that travelers should brace for sticker shock this year.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
While the sticker shock of what is typically a $13 trip enraged the masses—the price was initially announced at $150 in April, before it got knocked down to 98 bucks in the face of public backlash—some observers, particularly those from Europe, scoffed at all the outrage.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 11 June 2026
Catherine Lane/Getty Images Few household problems create more frustrations or more sticker shock than a malfunctioning air conditioner.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 June 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 17 Jun. 2026.
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