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
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
Andersen, who had been so good in the series, looked shell-shocked in net and never recovered.
—Scott Powers, New York Times, 29 May 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
Alexander-Arnold looked shell-shocked and so did many of his team-mates.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 12 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
Soaring egg prices have left U.S. consumers scrambling and shell-shocked.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
The Seahawks’ lead grew to 10 and the Delaware contingent – arms crossed, eyes staring blankly at the court – looked shell-shocked.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 15 June 2025
Andersen, who had been so good in the series, looked shell-shocked in net and never recovered.
—Scott Powers, New York Times, 29 May 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
Alexander-Arnold looked shell-shocked and so did many of his team-mates.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 12 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
Soaring egg prices have left U.S. consumers scrambling and shell-shocked.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
The Seahawks’ lead grew to 10 and the Delaware contingent – arms crossed, eyes staring blankly at the court – looked shell-shocked.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell-shocked
Adjective
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Meanwhile, a Talker Research survey of 2,000 parents with kids, ages 5 to 12, found 64% of them are most stressed about how to keep their kids entertained during vacation.2 Kemper’s key to getting through summer guilt-free is by keeping her expectations low.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
17 June 2025
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The 2025 rankings are pretty similar to other surveys of stressed states.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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In his latest, Minervini brings viewers into the thick of the Civil War, only to find the same dazed souls and gnawing uncertainties that have always been his focus.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
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The internet, like a dazed prize fighter, wobbles on its last legs before going down.—
Jake Coyle,
Twin Cities,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Tornado is a bewildered Japanese girl (played by pop singer Kôki) who fights off a horde of white men, thieving gold vagabonds who represent both Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Celtic ancestry.—
Armond White,
National Review,
4 June 2025
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After staying at the shelter, Caboose eventually underwent surgery to get spayed and get their hernia repaired, but that's when doctors found something that left them bewildered.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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Despite decades of existence, Jack in the Box’s sales remain stagnant, its strategy appears confused, and investors are becoming increasingly uneasy.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
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Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, was left confused by the team’s strategy call — having gone long on the opening stint, but never seemed like a genuine threat to the leaders and lacking the outright pace of Lando Norris on the same strategy.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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The law, which Governor Josh Shapiro signed last year, aims to reduce distracted driving incidents throughout the state.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 June 2025
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After Klinghoffer entered his plea, a prosecutor read a statement that warned against distracted driving.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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Signs of dehydration, including: dry mouth and throat, infrequent peeing and feeling dizzy when standing up.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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Spinning is what dizzy people do, and Lopez is not that.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
12 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shell-shocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell-shocked. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
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