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
Global investors were shell-shocked on Tuesday after President Donald Trump struck another blow at the Federal Reserve's independence, caught between the concerns over politicisation of policy and the payoffs for markets.
—
Kevin Buckland, USA Today, 27 Aug. 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
After four years of heavy subsidies and easing of permitting restrictions under the Biden presidency, those industries must be feeling a bit shell-shocked over the steady stream of bad news coming at them from Washington, DC since January 20.
—David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
These are the same Oilers who gave the Vegas Golden Knights life with a last-second own-goal in Game 3 of the second round, a result that could have shell-shocked them.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 15 June 2025
The Charlotte defenders looked shell-shocked, and the collapse accelerated from there.
—Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 18 May 2025
Boston, even with its title pedigree, looked shell-shocked, out of its league in a way few thought possible given the drastic swings in the series.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
Area Republicans look shell-shocked: President Trump’s sweeping tariff announcement sent a shockwave through the global economy, put the stock market into a tailspin and fueled fears that the U.S. is headed toward a recession.
—Cate Martel, The Hill, 4 Apr. 2025
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
Kevin Buckland, USA Today, 27 Aug. 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
After four years of heavy subsidies and easing of permitting restrictions under the Biden presidency, those industries must be feeling a bit shell-shocked over the steady stream of bad news coming at them from Washington, DC since January 20.
—David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
These are the same Oilers who gave the Vegas Golden Knights life with a last-second own-goal in Game 3 of the second round, a result that could have shell-shocked them.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 15 June 2025
The Charlotte defenders looked shell-shocked, and the collapse accelerated from there.
—Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 18 May 2025
Boston, even with its title pedigree, looked shell-shocked, out of its league in a way few thought possible given the drastic swings in the series.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
Area Republicans look shell-shocked: President Trump’s sweeping tariff announcement sent a shockwave through the global economy, put the stock market into a tailspin and fueled fears that the U.S. is headed toward a recession.
—Cate Martel, The Hill, 4 Apr. 2025
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
-
What To Know According to Empower’s nationally representative survey—which gathered responses from 2,202 adults in early June—50 percent of Americans feel stressed about their current level of savings.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Drone footage captured by Geoff Aquiuno shows the moment the mother and her baby became trapped in a shark net, with the stressed mother rolling into the netting to go after her calf.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The clip shows Britt going to pet Roger, who appears dazed in his unfamiliar surroundings.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Max and his family watch in dazed amazement at telecasts at the bunker show the world destroyed by nuclear war.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
William is totally bewildered and frustrated that it’s being sanctioned.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Looking at the Williams in the wrong spot, the crew looked bewildered, while one person signaled Sainz to move on.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Italian journalist Federica Polidoro asked, drawing a range of confused and amused reactions from the three stars.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Sep. 2025
-
In the background of the video, a confused looking Howlett can be seen standing by in an identical long sleeve shirt as the one the actor is wearing.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But what happened next stunned everyone.—
Rick Tumlinson,
Space.com,
25 Sep. 2025
-
No one was more stunned to learn that Reese Witherspoon's first name is not Reese than Jennifer Aniston.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The music flows with a nice distracted elegance.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Excessive speed, distracted and impaired driving are the leading causes of crashes in Michigan, MSP Second District Public Information Officer Lt.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Traditionally, Sean Payton’s teams deploy a revolving personnel carousel that can leave opposing defensive coordinators dizzy.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Ten percent impairs performance and leaves you dizzy and faint.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shell-shocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell-shocked. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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