1
as in stressed
suffering from high levels of physical and especially psychological stress
even after the long furlough, the returning soldiers still felt a little shell-shocked
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
shell-shocked survivors who were in dire need of every kind of help
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of shell-shocked
Then, carbon-copy goals from Brittany Ratcliffe and Madison Mercado — who got on the end of crosses whipped in by Sofia Huerta in the 26th and 33rd minutes — saw the Current shell-shocked down 3-0 in the 33rd minute.
—
Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
At halftime of Wednesday night’s game against Villanova at Finneran Pavilion, the UConn women’s basketball team looked shell-shocked.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
Despite being billed as the head and heart of the new and improved Tender, Henry actually freezes in the meeting with the regulator, shell-shocked by a single reference to his failure at Lumi.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2026
In December 2023, content creator Harinder Singh claimed to have spoken to Webb's older brother, Kayden, who allegedly said that Ryker was healthy and safe, but that he'd been traumatized and shell-shocked during the immediate aftermath of the incident.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
The former was shell-shocked by one of the worst offensive lines imaginable in 2021 and eventually flat-lined.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
That likability should help appease an employee base which has become shell-shocked with cuts and layoffs over decades of mergers.
—Lillian Rizzo,alex Sherman, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025
McCartney added, still visibly amused and a bit shell-shocked at their Ed Sullivan Show-era American reception.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
But what left investors shell-shocked was third quarter guidance that pegged revenues to be down 9 percent to 11 percent.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
At halftime of Wednesday night’s game against Villanova at Finneran Pavilion, the UConn women’s basketball team looked shell-shocked.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
Despite being billed as the head and heart of the new and improved Tender, Henry actually freezes in the meeting with the regulator, shell-shocked by a single reference to his failure at Lumi.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2026
In December 2023, content creator Harinder Singh claimed to have spoken to Webb's older brother, Kayden, who allegedly said that Ryker was healthy and safe, but that he'd been traumatized and shell-shocked during the immediate aftermath of the incident.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
The former was shell-shocked by one of the worst offensive lines imaginable in 2021 and eventually flat-lined.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
That likability should help appease an employee base which has become shell-shocked with cuts and layoffs over decades of mergers.
—Lillian Rizzo,alex Sherman, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025
McCartney added, still visibly amused and a bit shell-shocked at their Ed Sullivan Show-era American reception.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
But what left investors shell-shocked was third quarter guidance that pegged revenues to be down 9 percent to 11 percent.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell-shocked
Adjective
-
Wyoming enacted a law allowing rural hospitals to file Chapter 9 bankruptcy, normally reserved for financially stressed cities to reorganize debts and repay creditors while protecting them from legal action.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Her little brother, Arturo, 6, was a little stressed.—
Asal Rezaei,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The boyfriend is dead and Betty helps Laura, relatively unharmed but dazed, back to her house.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
-
When Sneaky Snook in his mail truck happened upon the wreckage near the boundary of Meredith Downs, sheep were scattered along the roadside and the fence, bleating, dazed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This sometimes left audience members bewildered about what had actually happened.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The passenger in the back eventually looked up from her phone, noticed Louise, and locked eyes with this bewildered-looking woman blocking the crosswalk.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
With all those numbers flying around, Americans might be understandably confused about when, exactly, they are expected to retire.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Despite the convenience of the one-stop concept, the process is so convoluted that some left frustrated and confused.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Healey, wearing her crisp white Red Sox uniform and Wu dressed in resplendent red with her Red Sox hat, looked somewhat stunned at the reaction but did not flee.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The crowd, which included Brazilian great Ronaldo, seemed stunned and deflated.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Tariff refunds, small businesses and distracted parenting, in readers’ eyes.—
Letters to the Editor,
Washington Post,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Whatever the solution, do not drive distracted.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shell-shocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell-shocked. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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