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

As for the biggest fall, that belongs to Texas A&M after the Aggies suffered what most would categorize as a shocking home upset against Kentucky. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026

Eugène Brieux’s Les Avariés (1901) went a shocking step further, depicting in forensic detail the syphilis pandemic of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. — Simon Callow, The New York Review of Books, 19 Sep. 2026

These aren’t breaking revelations for what is — for a certain generation, at least — one of the late 20th century’s most shocking and widely-discussed controversies. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

That is one of the most shocking moments of the series, apart from some of the twists and turns towards the end, and probably the most sickening. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 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