shock value
noun
: usefulness to surprise and usually upset people
He uses offensive language for (its) shock value.
Examples of shock value in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
These songs smartly aim much higher than mere shock value, and that makes the humor all the deeper.
—
Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Whether driven by indulgence, health fads or shock value, these six trends reported by Fox News Digital stood out as some of the strangest and most talked-about bites and beverages of the year.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Instead, The Abandons barges full tilt into sexism and shock value.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
So is observer bias, with crowd approval often directly proportional to shock value (the suffix -ussy winning in 2022; rawdog in 2024).
—Literary Hub, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shock value
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Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Whether driven by indulgence, health fads or shock value, these six trends reported by Fox News Digital stood out as some of the strangest and most talked-about bites and beverages of the year.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Instead, The Abandons barges full tilt into sexism and shock value.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
So is observer bias, with crowd approval often directly proportional to shock value (the suffix -ussy winning in 2022; rawdog in 2024).
—Literary Hub, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shock value
Cite this Entry
“Shock value.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shock%20value. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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