sticker shock
noun
: astonishment and dismay experienced on being informed of a product's unexpectedly high price
Examples of sticker shock in a Sentence
We left the store suffering severe sticker shock.
Recent Examples on the Web
The council’s Rules Committee praised the proposal, which was presented by Councilmember Raul Campillo, for its goal of boosting transparency and avoiding resident sticker shock.
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David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
The dearth of cocoa, analysts said, has ratcheted up input costs for chocolate makers and vaulted retail prices, leading to sticker shock in grocery and candy store aisles.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
The weather in the Pittsburgh area, combined with all the time spent at home, and your first bills of the year could be a bit of sticker shock.
—John Shumway, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Why winter sticker shock feels worse The latest cold snap is exposing how vulnerable household budgets have become to weather swings.
—Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sticker shock
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David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
The dearth of cocoa, analysts said, has ratcheted up input costs for chocolate makers and vaulted retail prices, leading to sticker shock in grocery and candy store aisles.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
The weather in the Pittsburgh area, combined with all the time spent at home, and your first bills of the year could be a bit of sticker shock.
—John Shumway, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Why winter sticker shock feels worse The latest cold snap is exposing how vulnerable household budgets have become to weather swings.
—Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sticker shock
Cite this Entry
“Sticker shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sticker%20shock. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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