shock therapy

noun

Definition of shock therapy

: the treatment of mental illness by the artificial induction of coma or convulsions through use of drugs or electric current — called also shock treatment

See shock therapy defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of shock therapy from the Web

This gradualist recipe, intended to avoid the upheaval of past economic shock therapies, relied heavily on fresh credit to plug the deficit.

— ryan dube, WSJ, "‘Gradualism Is Dead’: Argentina Faces Pressure to Hasten Economic Overhaul," 29 May 2018
Ryan’s original 2008 Roadmap for America’s Future, his first budget plan, was a prescription for libertarian shock therapy applied to basically the entire federal government.

— dylan matthews, Vox, "Paul Ryan paved the way for Trump’s takeover of the Republican Party," 11 Apr. 2018
Get our daily newsletter Mr Macri has attracted attention for his effort to stabilise and open Argentina’s economy while avoiding shock therapy.

— The Economist, "Mauricio Macri fights Argentina’s tradition of handouts for votes," 22 Mar. 2018
Marzonie said conversion therapy is often associated with aversion therapy, an extreme form of the practice that involves inflicting pain or physical discomfort such as electro-shock therapy.

— NBC News, "Conversion therapy or 'identity workshop'? Church program causes uproar," 26 Feb. 2018
Try electric shock therapy, drugs that render men impotent, or maybe even a lobotomy.

— jane m. von bergen, Philly.com, "Honoring a gay psychiatrist credited with declassifying homosexuality as illness," 1 Oct. 2017
Who came up with the electric shock therapy obstacle?

— anne vandermey, Fortune, "The CEO of Tough Mudder Talks About the Future of Adventure Racing," 26 Sep. 2017
The economic shock therapy, coupled with a steep currency devaluation, has rocked the country, with fuel and cooking-gas prices rising and the annual inflation rate surpassing 30%.

— matt murray, WSJ, "The 10-Point.," 7 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shock therapy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of shock therapy

1917

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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SHOCK THERAPY Defined for English Language Learners

shock therapy

noun

Definition of shock therapy for English Language Learners

: a treatment for mental illness in which the patient is given electric shocks

Medical Dictionary

shock therapy

noun

medical Definition of shock therapy

: the treatment of mental illness by the artificial induction of coma or convulsions through use of drugs or electric current — called also convulsive therapy; see electroconvulsive therapy