culture shock

noun

: a sense of confusion and uncertainty sometimes with feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to an alien culture or environment without adequate preparation

Examples of culture shock in a Sentence

Foreign students often experience culture shock when they first come to the U.S.

Moving to the city was a huge culture shock for him.

Recent Examples on the Web

Teams used to collaboration won't integrate well with hierarchical decision-making, and teams valuing structure will face culture shock in a fast-paced, fail-fast-and-iterate environment. —Michelle Debella, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025

Much like Tallchief, the American dance company representatives in Étoile experience some culture shock moving to Paris. —Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 24 Apr. 2025

Cultural openness: Feeling welcomed by locals can ease culture shock and smooth your transition. —Cepee Tabibian, CNBC, 18 May 2025

Although the game is familiar, that doesn’t mean Pindell wasn’t hit with some initial culture shock. —Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for culture shock

• electroshock
• aftershock
• antiknock
• arawak
• hollyhock
• interlock
• isopach
• manioc
• shuttlecock
• tomahawk
• weathercock
• alcock

Medical Definition

culture shock

noun

: a sense of confusion and uncertainty sometimes with feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to an alien culture or environment without adequate preparation