shock

1 of 6

noun (1)

ˈshäk

often attributive

Synonyms of shock next

a(1)

: a sudden or violent mental or emotional disturbance

(2)

: a disturbance in the equilibrium or permanence of something

: something that causes such disturbance

the loss came as a shock

: a state of being so disturbed

were in shock after they heard the news

: a state of profound depression of the vital processes associated with reduced blood volume and pressure and caused usually by severe especially crushing injuries, hemorrhage, or burns

: sudden stimulation of the nerves and convulsive contraction of the muscles caused by the discharge of electricity through the animal body

: shock absorber

: a violent shake or jar : concussion

: an effect of such violence

: stroke sense 5

: coronary thrombosis

: the impact or encounter of individuals or groups in combat

shock

2 of 6

verb (1)

shocked; shocking; shocks

transitive verb

: to strike with surprise, terror, horror, or disgust

: to cause to undergo a physical or nervous shock

: to subject to the action of an electrical discharge

: to drive by or as if by a shock

intransitive verb

: to cause surprise or shock

an exhibit meant to shock

: to meet with a shock : collide

cooking : to halt further cooking of (a vegetable) by submerging in ice water

If you blanch and shock your vegetables (cook them quickly in boiling water, then immerse them in ice water), you'll get a perfectly cooked texture and a nice vibrant color. Once you've done that, you can easily sauté, dress, or grill them.—

Amanda Freitag

Another way to prevent overcooking is to shock the asparagus in an ice bath … The cold water will stop the cooking process as well as bring out the vegetable's naturally bright color and maintain its crisp texture.—

Grace Haynes

shockable

ˈshä-kə-bəl

adjective

shock

3 of 6

noun (2)

: a thick bushy mass (as of hair)

shock

4 of 6

adjective

: bushy, shaggy

shock

5 of 6

noun (3)

: a pile of sheaves of grain or stalks of corn set up in a field with the butt ends down

shock

6 of 6

verb (2)

shocked; shocking; shocks

transitive verb

: to collect into shocks

Choose the Right Synonym for shock

impact, collision, shock, concussion mean a forceful, even violent contact between two or more things.

impact may be used to imply contact between two things, at least one of which is impelled toward the other.

the glass shattered on impact with the floor

collision implies the coming together of two or more things with such force that both or all are damaged or their progress is severely impeded.

the collision damaged the vehicle

shock often denotes the effect produced by a collision and carries the suggestion of something that strikes or hits with force.

the shock of falling rocks

concussion when not in technical use, often suggests the shattering, disrupting, or weakening effects of a collision, explosion, or blow.

bystanders felt the concussion of the blast

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Her family, and those who knew the young woman, are in shock at the killing, still trying to find answers and praying for resolution, said Caz. —

Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2023 The theater community was in shock last weekend by news of the unexpected passing of Jim Chovick, a beloved actor who performed at most of San Diego’s professional theaters over the past 25 years. —

San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2023 The executives also held internal discussions on how to be present for employees who are in shock, while also dealing with their own grief, according to people familiar with the matter. —

Amanda Gordon, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2023 Fans followed by bombarding the comment section in shock to see his return to HGTV with Heather Rae. —

Chaise Sanders, Country Living, 20 Feb. 2023 The case of Andreen Nicole McDonald’s death at the hands of her husband, Andre McDonald — one of San Antonio’s biggest homicide cases — came to a close this month with a trial that left many in shock and disappointed with the verdict. —

Taylor Pettaway, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Feb. 2023 Henry is in shock, clearly doesn’t know what to do, but doesn’t want Joel to do anything either. —

Erik Kain, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023 Taylor took a step back in shock, bringing up her hand to cover her mouth. —

Briannah Rivera, Seventeen, 9 Feb. 2023 One adult in shock was also transported to a hospital, according to police. —

Will Gretsky, ABC News, 8 Feb. 2023

Adjective

For chair Jay Powell, this is the moment to prove that the Fed has learned the lessons of the recovery from the Great Financial Crisis, when employment didn’t return to pre-shock levels for six-and-a-half years. —

Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 16 June 2021 Perhaps because of those capabilities, Future 50 companies returned to pre-shock levels in 15 weeks, while the MSCI World stock index took more than six months. —

Tom Deegan, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2021 Most e-collars also have non-shock cues such as beeps or vibrations that act as a stimulus for training. —

Alicia Wallace, CNN, 6 Oct. 2020 As the shockwave continues outward, the material in the post-shock regions quickly cools and recombines. —

Michelle Hampson, Discover Magazine, 7 Aug. 2018

Verb

Frisch compared Mackey’s memes to a rap battle or a celebrity roast — designed to shock and get under the skin of those holding opposing viewpoints. —

Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2023 That high-energy food can shock their system and even kill the deer. —

Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Mar. 2023 And that form looked like continuing as Nunez struck early to shock the visitors, before Salah capitalized on Courtois' mis-control to tap in from close range in the 14th. —

James Robson, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Feb. 2023 Webb receives a perfect 50 from the judges in the last two rounds to shock defending dunk champion Dominique Wilkins and the crowd at Dallas’ Reunion Arena. —

Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2023 These places served many needs — for comfort, for consistency, for something new to shock the senses. —

Felicia Campbell, The Arizona Republic, 7 Feb. 2023 The song of the year race was a tight one, and the winner seemed to shock a lot of people — including the honoree herself. —

Char Adams, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2023 But the ordinary has long been rejected by high fashion, a world that loves to shock through visual extremes. —

Elizabeth Paton, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2023 Even with two of its best players sidelined, South Oak Cliff wasn’t going to let Midlothian Heritage shock the Texas high school football world in the third round of the playoffs — just like SOC had done one year ago in the same round. —

Dallas News, 25 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shock.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle French choc, from choquer to strike against, from Old French choquier, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch schocken to jolt

Adjective

perhaps from shock entry 5

Noun (3)

Middle English; akin to Middle High German schoc heap

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 7

Verb (1)

1575, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun (2)

1819, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1681, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of shock was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shock. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

shock

1 of 4 noun

ˈshäk

: a bunch of sheaves of grain or stalks of corn set on end (as in a field)

shock

2 of 4 noun

: the sudden violent collision of bodies in a fight

the shock of combat

: a violent shake or jerk

an earthquake shock

: a sudden or violent disturbance of the mind or feelings

the shock of defeat

: something that causes such a disturbance

the news came as a shock

: a state of being so disturbed

were in shock when they heard the true story

: a state of bodily collapse that is often marked by a drop in blood pressure and volume and that is usually caused by a severe injury, burn, or hemorrhage

: the effect of a strong charge of electricity passing through the body of a person or animal

shock

3 of 4 verb

: to strike with surprise, horror, or disgust

were shocked by her behavior

: to affect by electrical shock

: to drive into or out of by or as if by a shock

shocked the public into action

shocker noun

shock

4 of 4 noun

: a thick bushy mass

a shock of hair

Etymology

Noun

Middle English shock "bunch of stalks"

Noun

from early French choc "a violent collision, shock," from choquer (verb) "to strike against," from earlier choquier (same meaning); probably of Germanic origin

Noun

from earlier shock (adjective) "bushy," probably derived from shock (noun) "a bunch of stalks" because of the similarity of the appearance of bushy hair to a bunch of stalks of grain

Medical Definition

shock

1 of 2 noun

ˈshäk

: a sudden or violent disturbance in the mental or emotional faculties

: a state of profound depression of the vital processes of the body that is characterized by pallor, rapid but weak pulse, rapid and shallow respiration, reduced total blood volume, and low blood pressure and that is caused usually by severe especially crushing injuries, hemorrhage, burns, or major surgery

: sudden stimulation of the nerves or convulsive contraction of the muscles that is caused by the discharge through the animal body of electricity from a charged source compare electroconvulsive therapy

shock

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to cause to undergo a physical or nervous shock

: to subject to the action of an electrical discharge

Legal Definition

shock

adjective

: of, relating to, or being a criminal sentence or condition of release involving participation in a program of vigorous physical training, discipline, regimentation, and rehabilitation therapy

shock incarceration

shock probation

shock parole