shocker

noun

shock·​er ˈshä-kər How to pronounce shocker (audio)
: one that shocks
especially : something horrifying or offensive (such as a sensational film or work of fiction)

Examples of shocker in a Sentence

The ending of the movie is a real shocker. Their divorce was a shocker.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Last word The Red Sox’s trade of Rafael Devers was a shocker, and the timing of it, killing the buzz after their sweep of the Yankees, was rough to swallow. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2025 Breslow and San Francisco Giants President Buster Posey executed the season’s biggest shocker Sunday, with the Red Sox sending slugger Rafael Devers to the Giants for four players in a blockbuster that busted baseball’s norms. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2025 While there were plenty of blindsides, there were few (if any) pick-your-jaw-up-off-the-floor shockers. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 15 May 2025 The mothership 9-1-1 delivered a shocker this spring, with male lead Peter Krause‘s Bobby Nash dying as a result of a chemical lab leak, leaving his wife, Athena (Angela Bassett) and his team devastated. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for shocker

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shocker was circa 1824

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Cite this Entry

“Shocker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shocker. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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