shocking 1 of 2

adjective

ˈshä-kiŋ How to pronounce shocking (audio)
Definition of shockingnext
1
as in startling
causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness we all clustered around to hear the shocking news of our colleague's sudden death

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2
as in terrifying
causing fear the shocking appearance of a shark just a few yards off shore

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3
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment the shocking behavior of some rowdies at the dance

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4
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent a soldier who had witnessed the shocking sight of his best friend being killed

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shocking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of shock
1
as in appalling
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

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2
as in surprising
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected were shocked by the way the law against public intoxication was constantly being broken

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3
as in frightening
to strike with fear the sudden appearance of the ghost shocked us to the core

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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
Around the time his dad was entering graduate school, Ben says a class topic taught him a shocking personal lesson. — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2026 Stevens lost to El-Sayed in the Democratic primary and supported El-Sayed's candidacy before her shocking flip Sunday. — Spencer Kimball,garrett Downs,dan Mangan,kevin Breuninger,justin Papp, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
Verb
Just last year, the Valkyries – shocking the WNBA world by reaching the playoffs in their inaugural season in 2025 – moved a first-round playoff game more than 40 miles away to SAP Center in San Jose, the home of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. — Jill Martin, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026 George came back strong with his 1987 solo classic Faith, reborn as a black-leather stud, shocking the music industry that had always seen him as a disposable joke. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shocking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shocking
  1. startling
  2. terrifying
  3. disgusting
  4. gruesome
  5. appalling
  6. surprising
  7. frightening
  8. amazing
Adjective
  • The movie exudes a startling confidence, at once buoyant and grounded—the kind of assurance that can emerge when a young director’s grasp of the medium, however nascent, is in synch with his feel for his characters and their world.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Famous authors, starting with Charles Dickens in Bleak House, took inspiration from these startling descriptions, which popped up in Enlightenment and Victorian-era tabloids.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of startling
Adjective
  • The blistering one-way run is strangely terrifying from the near silent cockpit as the highway lamps flash past.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 Nov. 2026
  • In Lima, and especially in the regions, terrifying scenes unfolded outside hospitals, with sick people collapsing in the street due to the shortage of oxygen, one of the key tools for treating the virus.
    — Claudia Rebaza, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • Everyone starts tasting the varied, apparently disgusting, bottles.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The third branch of government did its job, and that should be a welcome sight for all Americans given the disgusting and dangerous attacks on our democracy by the federal government.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • Less than four minutes into the game, Apple Valley senior fullback Joseph Lopez suffered a gruesome leg injury and the game was delayed about 30 minutes for the medical response and on-field treatment.
    — Dan Arritt, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2026
  • In his Address at Gettysburg, President Lincoln transformed a gruesome battle into the raison d’être of a truly United States that for the first time in its history became a union.
    — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of gruesome
Verb
  • The young Forster recoiled from the school’s culture of authoritarianism and militaristic chauvinism, which may have found expression in the students’ often appalling attitudes toward their own mothers.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
  • Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.
    — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
Definition of appalling
Verb
  • After years of buying and selling horses, Casse knows the business will keep surprising him.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Still, there are layers to how the 24-year-old has carried himself in the big leagues since surprising his way onto the Oilers roster.
    — Janson Duench, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of surprising
Verb
  • For Cox and Walker, the challenge was to introduce horror-film conventions without frightening the franchise’s youngest viewers.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 June 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • That technology gave birth to amazing stories like Jurassic Park and Terminator 2.
    — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 9 Nov. 2026
  • What makes this even more amazing is that, of all the hundreds of high schools on Long Island, Jojo attends the Greenky’s alma mater.
    — Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of amazing

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Cite this Entry

“Shocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shocking. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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