culture shock

noun

: a sense of confusion and uncertainty sometimes with feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to an alien culture or environment without adequate preparation

Examples of culture shock in a Sentence

Foreign students often experience culture shock when they first come to the U.S.

Moving to the city was a huge culture shock for him.

Recent Examples on the Web

Although the game is familiar, that doesn’t mean Pindell wasn’t hit with some initial culture shock. —Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2025

There are also some similarities between Liverpool and Palace, which would mean the transition from one to the other isn’t too much of a culture shock. —James Nalton, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

No jet lag, no major culture shock—just a global education experience right at your fingertips. —Maja Zelihic, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025

The characters, meanwhile, are still jet-lagged and coping with culture shock — not to mention a little tipsy. —Noel Murray, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for culture shock

• electroshock
• aftershock
• antiknock
• arawak
• hollyhock
• interlock
• isopach
• manioc
• shuttlecock
• tomahawk
• weathercock
• alcock

Medical Definition

culture shock

noun

: a sense of confusion and uncertainty sometimes with feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to an alien culture or environment without adequate preparation