shocking

1 of 2

adjective

shock·​ing ˈshä-kiŋ 

: extremely startling, distressing, or offensive

shocking news

shockingly

ˈshä-kiŋ-lē 

adverb

shocking

2 of 2

present participle of shock entry 2, shock entry 6

Synonyms of shocking

Adjective

• startling
• surprising
• amazing
• stunning
• astonishing

Examples of shocking in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

Paxton could still win, but the race undoubtedly opens up a shocking vulnerability in Republicans’ red wall. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026

That evil manifests in shocking moments of exorcism, but also in moments of earthly anger. — Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026

The shocking 2013 execution of Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Un’s uncle, unnerved Ri. — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026

Magazine’s Innovator Awards to speak for those whose lives were lost in Spain’s shocking train crash. — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1653, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing shocking

• shocking pink

Rhymes for shocking

• blocking
• calking
• caulking
• chalking
• clocking
• cocking
• docking
• flocking
• gawking
• knocking
• locking
• mocking

Kids Definition

shocking

adjective

shock·​ing

: causing horror or disgust

a shocking crime

shocking behavior

shockingly

-iŋ-lē 

adverb