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
Dia is shocked when she’s chosen for a highly coveted internship, along with six other teenagers from around the world.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025
As a result, the dwarf planet likely has an abundance of highly shocked material, which could be an important target for future sampling missions there.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025
Addison’s mom was shocked to learn her newborn — her firstborn — was in the middle of a life-or-death situation.
—Eryn Mathewson, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
Coco has a shocked expression on her face while her mom can be seen pointing at the landmark in the background.
—Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocked
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Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025
As a result, the dwarf planet likely has an abundance of highly shocked material, which could be an important target for future sampling missions there.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025
Addison’s mom was shocked to learn her newborn — her firstborn — was in the middle of a life-or-death situation.
—Eryn Mathewson, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
Coco has a shocked expression on her face while her mom can be seen pointing at the landmark in the background.
—Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 23 Apr. 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 5 May. 2025.
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