1
as in collision
a forceful coming together of two things
the whole railway platform shook from the shock of the two trains colliding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in astonishment
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual
were in shock after they heard the news of the death of the president
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to appal
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
Mom was shocked by the terrible news that her cousin had died in an accident I was shocked to find out that I was the victim of identity theft
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
were shocked by the way the law against public intoxication was constantly being broken
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to scare
to strike with fear
the sudden appearance of the ghost shocked us to the core
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shock
Quanta Magazine, 4 Aug. 2025
Wednesday whisked the dexterous appendage and his digits to her Uncle Fester, who wass sleeping in Eugene’s bee shed, to revive him with his electric shock ability.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2025
EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
The speech shocked the Biden administration, which condemned CAIR at the time over the anti-Israel remarks.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shock
Noun
To their shock, seismic waves appear to lose very little energy on their journeys, suggesting the blobs are made of very large crystals after all.
—Quanta Magazine, 4 Aug. 2025
Wednesday whisked the dexterous appendage and his digits to her Uncle Fester, who wass sleeping in Eugene’s bee shed, to revive him with his electric shock ability.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
Wolfhard first recalled shocking the Duffers with his intuition during an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2023.
—EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
The speech shocked the Biden administration, which condemned CAIR at the time over the anti-Israel remarks.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shock
Noun
-
The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Berrios’ cause of death to be aortic laceration due to blunt force trauma of trunk and the manner of death to be accident (passenger in motor vehicle collision).—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
9 Aug. 2025
-
The driver of the pickup, identified by authorities as Logan Wolfe, suffered minor injuries, reported The Palm Beach Post, which added that all three people involved in the collision wore seat belts at the time.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Bare feet on grass, and astonishment at my little apple tree.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
31 July 2025
-
In an era of deepfakes and algorithmic sleight-of-hand, authentic astonishment is more valuable than ever.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Indeed, Berkshire's disclosure surprised many market watchers: UnitedHealth has become the face of public dissatisfaction with the country's health care system, is currently facing an investigation into its Medicare billing practices and issued disappointing guidance last month.—
Josephine Rozzelle,
CNBC,
15 Aug. 2025
-
In Román Haug’s first season at Liverpool, the club surprised many by finishing in fourth position in the league, above the Women’s FA Cup winners Manchester United.—
Asif Burhan,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Some, scared off by the complexity of picking a policy and by the price tags, tumble over the edge and go without insurance in a health system where the rate for an emergency room visit can be thousands, if not tens of thousands, of dollars.—
Elisabeth Rosenthal,
Miami Herald,
12 Aug. 2025
-
Effectively scaring a bear also reinforces the person as dominant in an encounter, so the bear learns to avoid people.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
9 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Cleveland’s first-round pick Mason Graham should be an interesting test for the middle of the offensive line, and how Corbett and/or Mays respond to that jolt of competition should provide an opportunity to both in the position battle.—
Mike Kaye
August 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Even within genre parameters, the director never takes the road well-traveled, offering jolts and marvels around every corner.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
That recruitment story, the one people repeat with amazement today, is now written into Charlotte’s soul.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 July 2025
-
Woo’s mother, Hilary, entered the conversation with pure amazement.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Spielberg imagined it as a noise that has the power to appall.—
David Denby,
Vulture,
3 July 2025
-
Still, there is plenty here that should appall both Democrats and Republicans.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
DoorDash and Roblox make the list because there are always a couple of companies that amaze and can't be denied.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
4 Aug. 2025
-
What amazed many is that Brooks — who has earned just one All-Defense nod (second team in 2023) — isn’t more respected as a defender, especially because of his versatility.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shock. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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