future shock
noun
: the physical and psychological distress suffered by one who is unable to cope with the rapidity of social and technological changes
Examples of future shock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
How do those changes affect what Americans pay for energy now, and how easily the country can adapt to future shocks in oil supply?
—
Camila Domonoske, NPR, 23 Mar. 2026
The Irish government should save more of its windfall from corporate taxes to make the public finances less vulnerable to future shocks, Central Bank of Ireland Governor Gabriel Makhlouf warned.
—Jennifer Duggan, Bloomberg, 11 Feb. 2026
Beijing is also continuing its push to insulate itself from future shocks – including in its upcoming five-year plan, which aims to deepen a top-down drive for tech and industrial self-sufficiency.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
Finally, to cushion against future shocks, policymakers will need to create and expand emergency stockpiles, such as for certain critical minerals and natural gas, along the lines of what the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve has done for oil.
—Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2025
Beyond the short term, effective relief preserves societal stability, fosters recovery, and lays the foundation for resilience against future shocks.
—Trickleup, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Other young investors are making moves to insulate against future shocks.
—Alexander Nazaryan, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
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Camila Domonoske, NPR, 23 Mar. 2026
The Irish government should save more of its windfall from corporate taxes to make the public finances less vulnerable to future shocks, Central Bank of Ireland Governor Gabriel Makhlouf warned.
—Jennifer Duggan, Bloomberg, 11 Feb. 2026
Beijing is also continuing its push to insulate itself from future shocks – including in its upcoming five-year plan, which aims to deepen a top-down drive for tech and industrial self-sufficiency.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
Finally, to cushion against future shocks, policymakers will need to create and expand emergency stockpiles, such as for certain critical minerals and natural gas, along the lines of what the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve has done for oil.
—Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2025
Beyond the short term, effective relief preserves societal stability, fosters recovery, and lays the foundation for resilience against future shocks.
—Trickleup, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Other young investors are making moves to insulate against future shocks.
—Alexander Nazaryan, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Future shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/future%20shock. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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