: 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
Likewise, using the military to patrol the border is not a shocking mission.
—
Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
Tom Bergeron made his grand return to the ballroom five years after his shocking exit to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show's debut on ABC.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Nov. 2025
The series follows a dream destination wedding in Thailand that unravels into secrets, betrayals, and a shocking twist when the guests discover the entire event was staged for reality TV.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025
This shocking piece of cinema is best left undiscussed.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocking
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Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
Tom Bergeron made his grand return to the ballroom five years after his shocking exit to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show's debut on ABC.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Nov. 2025
The series follows a dream destination wedding in Thailand that unravels into secrets, betrayals, and a shocking twist when the guests discover the entire event was staged for reality TV.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025
This shocking piece of cinema is best left undiscussed.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 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 24 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shocking
adjective
shock·ing
: causing horror or disgust
a shocking crime
shocking behavior
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