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shell-shocked

American

[shel-shahkt] / ˈʃɛlˌʃɑkt /

adjective

Archaic. suffering from battle fatigue or other post-traumatic stress disorder from war.

shell-shocked British

adjective

suffering from shell shock
in a state of stunned confusion or shock; dazed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A ferocious turning of the screw against a shell-shocked team.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

That's compounded by concerns about Andrew's well-being, a man who looked shell-shocked and haunted in photos taken after he was released from custody.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

Bencic won 12 of the final 15 games against a shell-shocked Swiatek, earning her second victory over the world number two.

From Barron's • Jan. 11, 2026

Residents who had evacuated, and some who had stayed behind, stood shell-shocked, knowing there was little they could do to stop their neighborhood from burning to the ground.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 7, 2026

She ends the call, and I just sit there, shell-shocked.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023