: extremely startling, distressing, or offensive
shocking news
Examples of shocking in a Sentence
The number of young teenagers who smoke is shocking.
a shocking waste of money
The building is in a shocking state.
Recent Examples on the Web
His murder and his wife of more than 35 years, Michele Singer Reiner's murder, are shocking and tragic.
—
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Dec. 2025
His murder and his wife of more than 35 years, Michele Singer Reiner’s murder, are shocking and tragic.
—Amy McCarthy, PEOPLE, 17 Dec. 2025
The killings were especially shocking given the warm comic legacy of the family.
—Andrew Dalton, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
His shocking death eventually changed the NFL.
—Erin Hassanzadeh, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocking
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Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Dec. 2025
His murder and his wife of more than 35 years, Michele Singer Reiner’s murder, are shocking and tragic.
—Amy McCarthy, PEOPLE, 17 Dec. 2025
The killings were especially shocking given the warm comic legacy of the family.
—Andrew Dalton, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
His shocking death eventually changed the NFL.
—Erin Hassanzadeh, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocking
Cite this Entry
“Shocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shocking. Accessed 21 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shocking
adjective
shock·ing
: causing horror or disgust
a shocking crime
shocking behavior
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