sticker shock

noun

|Updated on: 16 Aug 2018

Examples: sticker shock in a Sentence

Definition of sticker shock

: astonishment and dismay experienced on being informed of a product's unexpectedly high price

See sticker shock defined for English-language learners

Examples of sticker shock in a Sentence

We left the store suffering severe sticker shock.

Recent Examples of sticker shock from the Web

That could lead to sticker shock when the electric bills some in.

— staff report, Philly.com, "Tips for keeping electric bills down during heat wave," 3 July 2018
Hollywood is the latest South Florida city to face sticker shock when looking to replace its crumbling stands.

— susannah bryan, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Lifeguard stands can be iconic. But are they worth $190,000 each?," 6 July 2018
Image Upper West Siders, especially those in walk-ups or prewar buildings, might experience sticker shock over the asking rents in a new building that is rising on West 80th Street.

— jane margolies, New York Times, "Big Units and Big Prices in New Upper West Side Rental," 1 June 2018
The sticker shock stands out given Jenner's age and the hard-to-parse secret sauce that vaulted her family into its own celebrity stratosphere.

— rachel siegel, chicagotribune.com, "Kylie Jenner is on track to become the youngest self-made billionaire. Ever.," 14 July 2018
Nonprofit agencies long headquartered in downtown Detroit are facing sticker shock over the rising cost of office space and parking as their leases come up for renewal.

— john gallagher, Detroit Free Press, "Rising rents in Detroit force nonprofit agencies to move from downtown," 22 May 2018
European buyers must also contend with sticker shock, as U.S. companies often trade at higher valuations than their European peers.

— nina trentmann, WSJ, "European Buyers Go Shopping for U.S. Companies," 6 Apr. 2018
Raymond Boyd Getty Images Buick buyers may be in for some sticker shock after President Donald Trump’s tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese imports.

— Fortune, "A Buick SUV May Cost an Extra $8,000 After China Tariffs," 16 June 2018
Still, the sticker shock headlines conceal some compensating realities.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "The Autumn of ObamaCare," 11 June 2018

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