1
a
: affected by shock : stricken with sudden mental or emotional disturbance
"Oh, no!" Mrs. Quimby was shocked. "How much is that going to cost?"—
Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary… I am so shocked to see him that I do not know what to do.—Jane Austen
Jane Austen
b
: showing or expressing shock
Her voice faltered as she saw the shocked amazement on her father's face.—Mary Norton
Mary NortonIn place of a roar at the end of the year's most anticipated race, there was only a shocked silence.—Tim Layden
Tim Layden2
of a mineral
: having a crystal structure that has been deformed by exposure to sudden extremely high pressure (as from a meteorite impact or a nuclear blast)
Grains of shocked quartz have long been used as criteria for impact (extraterrestrial objects or nuclear bombs) …—Stephen Jay Gould
Stephen Jay GouldExamples of shocked in a Sentence
the escaping bridegroom bid farewell to the shocked wedding guests as he ran out the door
we were shocked at the appalling conditions in the prison
the hikers were so shocked at the sight of a bear that they didn't dare move
Recent Examples on the Web
In the middle of a crime scene, Ducky walks in and begins sharing his thoughts with a shocked Gibbs and an angry Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid).
—Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
When she is betrayed by her own likeness, Stella can only look out onto a shocked audience, and happens to find a familiar –– albeit, not friendly –– face among them.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
The shocked look on Byrne’s face, captured in one take, is genuine.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Quarterback Ty Simpson, who looked a little shell-shocked in Tallahassee, has looked much more comfortable throwing the ball.
—Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocked
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
When she is betrayed by her own likeness, Stella can only look out onto a shocked audience, and happens to find a familiar –– albeit, not friendly –– face among them.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
The shocked look on Byrne’s face, captured in one take, is genuine.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Quarterback Ty Simpson, who looked a little shell-shocked in Tallahassee, has looked much more comfortable throwing the ball.
—Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocked
Cite this Entry
“Shocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shocked. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share