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
Jason Fanelli, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Policymakers should focus on accelerating implementation of Africa’s free trade area to make the continent more resilient to global shocks, the secretary general of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat said.
—semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2025
In a decade defined by shocks—pandemics, conflicts, trade wars—Europe’s promise of consistency matters.
—Jessica Jurkschat, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Large retailers can absorb these shocks through scale.
—Vitalii Savryha, Sourcing Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
Yet somehow, on Monday, the team completed one of the sport’s biggest shocks and won the Allsvenskan – the top tier of Swedish soccer.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
Car companies faced inflationary concerns, followed by shocks tied to tariffs and subsequent supply chain ramifications.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
Our team will deliver a film that shocks, thrills and stands out.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
The front shocks, made to absorb washboards and uneven terrain, do a pretty good job of absorbing the road as well.
—New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2025
Jordan Moreau, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
Customers spend an average of $30 to $40 on costumes and $10 to $20 on joke or gag items, like a doughnut with a roach attached to the bottom, or a fake car fob that shocks the hand.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2025
These shocks land heavily on Hispanics, who are overrepresented in construction, service, and blue-collar work sensitive to inflation and policy disruptions.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
The elder Hall’s indifference toward his son’s life shocks even his captor, prompting a bonding moment that softens the viewer’s perceptions of both men.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
Someone may step up in a way that shocks you, or someone may fade out just as quickly.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 31 Aug. 2025
The sight shocks him out of his reverie.
—Roy Scranton
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
This genuinely shocks the robot, who had speculated there had to be a third party involved in the Empire-Foundation conflict but didn’t even think of Foundation having a backup plan.
—Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
Instead, Demerzel shocks her with an unexpected appearance, and the stage is set.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
Giving a sniper rifle explosive rounds that also cause electrical shocks seems like overkill, but shooting that gun never gets old.
—Jason Fanelli, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Policymakers should focus on accelerating implementation of Africa’s free trade area to make the continent more resilient to global shocks, the secretary general of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat said.
—semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2025
In a decade defined by shocks—pandemics, conflicts, trade wars—Europe’s promise of consistency matters.
—Jessica Jurkschat, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Large retailers can absorb these shocks through scale.
—Vitalii Savryha, Sourcing Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
Yet somehow, on Monday, the team completed one of the sport’s biggest shocks and won the Allsvenskan – the top tier of Swedish soccer.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
Car companies faced inflationary concerns, followed by shocks tied to tariffs and subsequent supply chain ramifications.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
Our team will deliver a film that shocks, thrills and stands out.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
The front shocks, made to absorb washboards and uneven terrain, do a pretty good job of absorbing the road as well.
—New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
Instead of pulling himself up, Red Hood shocks the hero with a hand buzzer and falls into the chemicals.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
Customers spend an average of $30 to $40 on costumes and $10 to $20 on joke or gag items, like a doughnut with a roach attached to the bottom, or a fake car fob that shocks the hand.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2025
These shocks land heavily on Hispanics, who are overrepresented in construction, service, and blue-collar work sensitive to inflation and policy disruptions.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
The elder Hall’s indifference toward his son’s life shocks even his captor, prompting a bonding moment that softens the viewer’s perceptions of both men.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
Someone may step up in a way that shocks you, or someone may fade out just as quickly.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 31 Aug. 2025
The sight shocks him out of his reverie.
—Roy Scranton
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
This genuinely shocks the robot, who had speculated there had to be a third party involved in the Empire-Foundation conflict but didn’t even think of Foundation having a backup plan.
—Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
Instead, Demerzel shocks her with an unexpected appearance, and the stage is set.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shocks
Noun
-
The changing gravitational field as a star sheds mass can disrupt the planets' orbits, resulting in many collisions between asteroids, comets and surviving planets and moons over billions of years that can grind solid bodies down to dust and small chunks.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Just this month, the regulator opened a new inquiry into dozens of reports that Teslas with FSD engaged had violated traffic laws, with some of these incidents leading to collisions and injuries.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But every now and then a recipe surprises us.—
Catherine Jessee,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Kendall Jenner surprises students from UT Austin with 818 Tequila and Uber Eats tailgate supplies ahead of Tailgate with 818 in Dallas.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
James Cook is a great running back and certainly helps open up the passing game, and while the Bills have a decent tight end room and some average pass catchers, there isn't one wide receiver on the roster who scares teams.—
Jon Conahan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
-
And yet, even though not having children is becoming more widely accepted and understood in our society, there’s something about a woman who has never been married that still confuses and scares people.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Fresh off a high-voltage, high-purpose runway—exuberant silhouettes and jolts of color lighting up Paris—Stella McCartney invited Vogue100 for a lunch dînatoire offering a closer look at her groundbreaking Summer 2026 collection and a post-show chat with the designer herself.—
Sasha Pinto,
Vogue,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Mostly, though, Wingard deploys his first-person POV gimmick for the purposes of cheaply effective jolts.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Personality-wise, Luca amazes me.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
14 Oct. 2025
-
What amazes me is how the same film sparks such different conversations, depending on the room.—
Eitan Weiss,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Within my book, one of the things that frightens me most is the fact that with censorship, there’s often not a clear red line, right?—
Fiction Non Fiction
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
-
What specifically frightens you?—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Forecasters said flooding impacts may increase across western Jamaica next week.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
-
But the agency cautions WIC is not yet funded for fiscal year 2026 and shutdown impacts could be coming.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Among them, Colleen Allen’s debut velvet maxi stuns in its simplicity, and Dries Van Noten’s bohemian take, fresh off the FW25 runway, makes a convincing case for maximalism.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Once inside, the home stuns with an abundance of natural light streaming from the many windows wrapping the main level.—
Miriam Schwartz,
Boston Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shocks. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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