: 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
The spring season is rich and robust, despite shocking developments at the Kennedy Center.
—
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2026
Yoon’s shocking declaration revived dark memories of the country’s authoritarian past, plunged South Korea into a constitutional crisis and was widely condemned as striking at the heart of the nation’s democracy.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Yet the shocking scale of abuse Vinicius Jr has suffered during his career seems to recur every season.
—Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
But nothing about the slump is shocking to coach Geno Auriemma.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shocking
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Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2026
Yoon’s shocking declaration revived dark memories of the country’s authoritarian past, plunged South Korea into a constitutional crisis and was widely condemned as striking at the heart of the nation’s democracy.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Yet the shocking scale of abuse Vinicius Jr has suffered during his career seems to recur every season.
—Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
But nothing about the slump is shocking to coach Geno Auriemma.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
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 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shocking
adjective
shock·ing
: causing horror or disgust
a shocking crime
shocking behavior
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