1
as in collisions
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 astonishments
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 appalls
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 surprises
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 scares
to strike with fear
the sudden appearance of the ghost shocked us to the core
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shocks
Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 12 May 2026
The standoff prompted one of the largest oil shocks ever recorded.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 May 2026
And then there is coffee and beef, two categories that are facing price shocks tied both to the Iran war and to factors far beyond the Middle East.
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 12 May 2026
The thinking is that, unlike in prior shocks, the damage from this energy earthquake isn’t playing out primarily in oil futures.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
The magnitude of the smaller shocks, which normally start about an order of magnitude below the main earthquake, tends to fall off over a period of time, from weeks to even decades.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
Energy shocks have always been a threat to the broader economy, but energy is now deeply embedded in complex, electricity-dependent business systems.
—Victor Nian, Fortune, 10 May 2026
Oil shocks stemming from the Iran war have already caused pain at the gas pump for American drivers, but Groton said supply chain disruptions for fertilizers, metals, and freight risk making groceries, housing, and other consumer goods more expensive the longer the conflict drags on.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Though prices have climbed at a fast rate since the war started, there were similar market shocks in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2026
When harvested, the roots are cut, which shocks the plant and can delay root reestablishment for several weeks.
—Ryan Bearss, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026
There are revelations aplenty, shocks too, and dozens of motel breakfasts, all in search of the holy grail, which, in most cases, is represented by a full scholarship to a Division 1 college or university.
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
As the energy shocks from the Iran war reverberate worldwide, countries like Egypt are left dealing with the consequences.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Energy shocks in the 1970s were associated with global recessions and persistent inflationary pressures.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
His statement threatening to eradicate an entire civilization shocks the conscience and requires a decisive congressional response.
—Eric McDaniel, NPR, 7 Apr. 2026
Stabbing shocks Olathe community Officers responded around noon March 19 to the 1000 block of North Ridgeview Road after reports of an armed disurbance.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 24 Mar. 2026
Two years later, an eerily similar crime shocks the city—this time involving the son of Chief of Police Greg Lamar (Raymond-James).
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
Noun
Analysts warned that reliance on a narrow group of exporters could amplify volatility and leave markets vulnerable to shocks ranging from geopolitical tensions to a slowdown in data-center spending.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 12 May 2026
The standoff prompted one of the largest oil shocks ever recorded.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 May 2026
And then there is coffee and beef, two categories that are facing price shocks tied both to the Iran war and to factors far beyond the Middle East.
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 12 May 2026
The thinking is that, unlike in prior shocks, the damage from this energy earthquake isn’t playing out primarily in oil futures.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
The magnitude of the smaller shocks, which normally start about an order of magnitude below the main earthquake, tends to fall off over a period of time, from weeks to even decades.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
Energy shocks have always been a threat to the broader economy, but energy is now deeply embedded in complex, electricity-dependent business systems.
—Victor Nian, Fortune, 10 May 2026
Oil shocks stemming from the Iran war have already caused pain at the gas pump for American drivers, but Groton said supply chain disruptions for fertilizers, metals, and freight risk making groceries, housing, and other consumer goods more expensive the longer the conflict drags on.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Though prices have climbed at a fast rate since the war started, there were similar market shocks in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
Bubbles Didn’t Enter The Picture That Early In one of the moist unintentionally hilarious moments in the movie, Michael shocks his family by adopting a CGI baby chimpanzee named Bubbles sometime around 1979.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2026
When harvested, the roots are cut, which shocks the plant and can delay root reestablishment for several weeks.
—Ryan Bearss, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026
There are revelations aplenty, shocks too, and dozens of motel breakfasts, all in search of the holy grail, which, in most cases, is represented by a full scholarship to a Division 1 college or university.
—Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
As the energy shocks from the Iran war reverberate worldwide, countries like Egypt are left dealing with the consequences.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Energy shocks in the 1970s were associated with global recessions and persistent inflationary pressures.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
His statement threatening to eradicate an entire civilization shocks the conscience and requires a decisive congressional response.
—Eric McDaniel, NPR, 7 Apr. 2026
Stabbing shocks Olathe community Officers responded around noon March 19 to the 1000 block of North Ridgeview Road after reports of an armed disurbance.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 24 Mar. 2026
Two years later, an eerily similar crime shocks the city—this time involving the son of Chief of Police Greg Lamar (Raymond-James).
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shocks
Noun
-
Additionally, about 17% of those severely injured by traffic collisions in Sacramento County were 20 years old or younger.—
Corey Schmidt,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2026
-
Rather than collisions caused by surrounding traffic, these incidents involved the vehicle misjudging objects directly in its path.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The Oscars, airing March 2 on ABC and streaming live on Hulu, will offer up kudos for some of these astonishments.—
Peter Rainer,
Christian Science Monitor,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
And what surprises many people outside Finland is that mild alcohol is actually a very common and almost emblematic part of the sauna experience.—
Brad Japhe,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
What surprises you most about Warsaw?—
Bridget Knowles,
Condé Nast Traveler,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The public scares me, mobs scare me.—
Liz McNeil,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
-
That's what scares people who spoke with CBS News Baltimore.—
Ashley Paul,
CBS News,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
Edwards’ explosiveness produces randomized jolts of spectacular.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
-
That week, nobody talked about anything but the lead-up to the big challenge in which Bukele and La Choly would see who could withstand the jolts of that bumpy musical fairground ride, which tries to shake off its passengers.—
Óscar Martínez,
The Dial,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sunday was another game-long display of why Wembanyama horrifies opponents from either side of the ball.—
James Jackson,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The second thing that strikes me more and actually amazes me is the fact that this is a story, a trope, that is repeated in most of the presentation of Agnes Pockels.—
Mariel Carr,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Eva’s romance with her husband, Franklin Plaskett, delights and amazes her.—
Adelle Waldman,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The piercing sunlight frightens her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Like the 1987 Kurt Vonnegut novel from which the restaurant took its name, Bluebeard encourages guests to drop their guard, surround themselves with other people and try something that frightens them a little.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shocks. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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