shock wave

noun

Definition of shock wave

1 : a compressional wave of high amplitude caused by a shock (as from an earthquake or explosion) to the medium through which the wave travels

2 : a violent often pulsating disturbance or reaction shock waves of rebellion

Examples of shock wave in a Sentence

The decision created a shock wave of criticism.

Recent Examples on the Web

The ruling sent shock waves through the paleontology world, threatening to upend the way fossil hunters have operated for decades. — Jeremy P. Jacobs, Science | AAAS, "Are dinosaur fossils ‘minerals’? The Montana Supreme Court will decide high stakes case," 10 July 2019 The severity of the resulting traffic jam depends on how the shock wave propagates. — Eugenia Cheng, WSJ, "Going With the Flow of Traffic," 9 Nov. 2018 Though smaller than many warheads, a 250-kiloton bomb, detonated in the air, would create a larger shock wave and fireball than a ground explosion. — Daily Intelligencer, "This Is What a Nuclear Bomb Looks Like," 12 June 2018 The decision was more severe than diplomats had expected and sent shock waves around the globe. — Tracy Wilkinson, latimes.com, "Trump pulls U.S. out of Iran nuclear deal and announces sweeping new economic sanctions," 8 May 2018 The winning time of 1:49.72 over the a mile and an eighth topped Gormley’s run a year ago, but produced few shock waves in front of the crowd of 39,023. — Bryce Miller, sandiegouniontribune.com, "El Cajon's Mick Ruis tripped at Santa Anita, but Kentucky Derby dream remains robustly alive," 7 Apr. 2018 A year ago, Golden State sent shock waves through the NBA by signing Cousins to the mid-level. — Connor Letourneau, SFChronicle.com, "Warriors free agency: 8 steps the team hopes to take," 29 June 2019 An Ohio jury has reached a verdict that should send a shock wave through college administrations across the land. — Nr Editors, National Review, "The Week," 20 June 2019 When the shock wave crashes into the right side of the house, the chimney absorbs most of its force. — Nathaniel Penn, Popular Mechanics, "The Day the Town Blew Up," 3 June 2019

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