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
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 shocks
Andy Browne, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Typically, long-term unemployment has gone down after the job market recovers following recessionary shocks like the pandemic or Great Recession.
—Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
The production is raw but precise, a mechanical bull with adjustable shocks.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
That said, the government has a decades-old playbook on how to get workers through economic shocks.
—Josh Tyrangiel, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
This is a sharp change from much of the 21st century, when economies were primarily affected by economic shocks in neighboring countries.
—Josh Ederington, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Air cargo will likely be reserved by many shippers to handle supply chain shocks rather than routine shipments.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
Make sure the hand massager is completely dry before use after cleaning to avoid electrical shocks.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Renewable fuels offer a domestic alternative — one that is insulated from geopolitical shocks and driven by long-term energy and climate commitments.
—Kip Eideberg, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2026
By contrast, in the United States, employers are not required to offer or contribute to a retirement plan at all – a fact that shocks many workers with pensions.
—Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
That moment is similar to one in the show where another closeted hockey star, Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) shocks the world by kissing his secret boyfriend on center ice after winning a championship.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Jan. 2026
That can change if a patient has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, which shocks the heart back to beating normally.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2026
Violence shocks neighbors Neighbors said the violence unfolded in just seconds.
—Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Rather than comply, Deborah shocks everyone by telling the audience the truth and loses her show.
—Jenelle Riley, Variety, 6 Jan. 2026
The thing that outrages, the thing that shocks, the thing that elicits the greatest response, and the greatest response of all of those emotional reactions is outrage, is fear, is shock, is anger.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
Attack shocks in nation with strict gun laws Australia has some of the world's strictest gun control measures, and mass shootings are relatively rare.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
Noun
Room for Disagreement Markets are extraordinarily resilient to geopolitical shocks, even ones that generate big headlines, according to Deutsche Bank research.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Typically, long-term unemployment has gone down after the job market recovers following recessionary shocks like the pandemic or Great Recession.
—Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
The production is raw but precise, a mechanical bull with adjustable shocks.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
That said, the government has a decades-old playbook on how to get workers through economic shocks.
—Josh Tyrangiel, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
This is a sharp change from much of the 21st century, when economies were primarily affected by economic shocks in neighboring countries.
—Josh Ederington, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Air cargo will likely be reserved by many shippers to handle supply chain shocks rather than routine shipments.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
Make sure the hand massager is completely dry before use after cleaning to avoid electrical shocks.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Renewable fuels offer a domestic alternative — one that is insulated from geopolitical shocks and driven by long-term energy and climate commitments.
—Kip Eideberg, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
The scheme shocks their high-strung son Harold (Roberts), whose wife, Neha (Gill), is a local police officer.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2026
By contrast, in the United States, employers are not required to offer or contribute to a retirement plan at all – a fact that shocks many workers with pensions.
—Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
That moment is similar to one in the show where another closeted hockey star, Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) shocks the world by kissing his secret boyfriend on center ice after winning a championship.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Jan. 2026
That can change if a patient has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, which shocks the heart back to beating normally.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2026
Violence shocks neighbors Neighbors said the violence unfolded in just seconds.
—Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Rather than comply, Deborah shocks everyone by telling the audience the truth and loses her show.
—Jenelle Riley, Variety, 6 Jan. 2026
The thing that outrages, the thing that shocks, the thing that elicits the greatest response, and the greatest response of all of those emotional reactions is outrage, is fear, is shock, is anger.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
Attack shocks in nation with strict gun laws Australia has some of the world's strictest gun control measures, and mass shootings are relatively rare.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shocks
Noun
-
The giant animals are protected by a vessel speed rule that requires large ships to slow down at certain times to avoid collisions, which is a leading cause of death for the whales.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for the state’s wolves.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Then John surprises her by showing up at the Calvin Klein showroom for a new suit.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Further insight into what surprises the new season may bring, can be found below in the character descriptions for the new recurring cast.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The boiling bin freezing especially scares me.—
Emily Elias,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Feb. 2026
-
So, anything that seems random or unexpected scares them.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Simons also gave Boston timely jolts of off-the-bench scoring.—
Zack Cox,
Hartford Courant,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Elsewhere, jolts of intensity come from human hands turning round knobs in real time.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Eva’s romance with her husband, Franklin Plaskett, delights and amazes her.—
Adelle Waldman,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
What amazes me is how good human beings can be in a crisis.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
21 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Her hysteria frightens me and demands to be taken care of.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The impacts are expected to last until March 15, but a second project is scheduled for the fall.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
This storm would bring the potential for coastal flooding and marine impacts, even with a more offshore track.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Executive producer and star of the film, Danielle Brooks, stuns with her performance as a mother trying to juggle it all and offers an honest portrayal of what happens when extenuating circumstances prevent closeness and warmth within a household.—
Dominique Fluker,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Nicole Kidman stuns in an orange ensemble while in Paris, as Diane Kruger and Norman Reedus have a rare date night at the Armani Privé show during Paris Fashion Week.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shocks. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
