shocking 1 of 2

1
2
3
4

shocking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of shock
1
2
3

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shocking
Adjective
In a shocking twist that nobody would've believed a week ago, the Browns spent their final pick, in the fifth round, on Shedeur Sanders. Bryce Lazenby, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025 Amber Hagerman’s mother details her daughter’s shocking murder and shares chilling documentary footage that captures the 9-year-old’s final days. Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
In the show’s two signature numbers, both of them Norma’s declarations of her own worthiness, Scherzinger stands at center stage and belts with shocking vocal power and agility, surrounded by purgatorial swirls of smoke and blown out by that Lloydian white light. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 21 Oct. 2024 But rather than play up the murders’ shocking gore or give momentum to Lois’ investigation, the first few episodes are content to linger in the investigator’s ennui. Alison Herman, Variety, 4 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for shocking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shocking
Adjective
  • In that time span, the liberals made a startling 20-plus-point comeback in the polls, overtaking the conservatives as election day neared.
    Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
  • It’s been a short, hectic campaign season, marked by startling reversals — most notably a massive decline in support for the current opposition Conservative Party — and ignited by the resignation of longtime Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
    Sean Collins, Vox, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The teaser trailer showcases the epic highs and lows of professional football, with a focus on the lows, as all of this looks terrifying.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The teaser does feature a glimpse at Calypso, the man who hosts the tournament, as well as a signature laugh from Sweet Tooth the terrifying clown.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And once the sickening jolts of the combat takeoff had ended and Bui slowly grew accustomed to the noise and the pressure of the C-130, the taste of KFC stopped his crying.
    Jennifer Brookland, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2025
  • To take but one example, the riots that convulsed swatches of England and Northern Ireland last year were fueled by social media accounts claiming sickening crimes by immigrants, amplified by right-wing accounts.
    David Robert Grimes, Scientific American, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Surely Yellowstone, with its large predators and geothermal activity will deliver something gruesome.
    Wes Siler, Outside Online, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Realizing that the price of Remmick's offer is their souls, the living make a desperate last stand that results in the gruesome deaths of everyone but Smoke and Sammie.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But the surprising mid-season decision to trade the Slovenian superstar coupled with a slew of key injuries, including to star guard Kyrie Irving, ultimately derailed any title aspirations Dallas might have had.
    Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Cleaning professional Ryan Schutz of Two Maids and a Mop is sharing what a typical cleaning includes, as well as a few surprising areas a house cleaner probably won't clean.
    Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • After the frightening threat, the man suddenly ran off in an unknown direction.
    Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Serena Joy Waterford is among the most frightening, dead-hearted women ever written for the small screen.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The fridge was smelly and disgusting before it was replaced about a week later.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Few things in this war have been more morally disgusting than the present hunt after traitors and Quislings.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • These types of horrific events by terrorists are why those of us who work for peace and stability in the world continue our mission.
    Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Of course, some eight hundred thousand did die—many in horrific ways—while the formerly enslaved were left to fend for themselves in a postwar state where apartheid was enforced by terror.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shocking. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on shocking

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!