shocking
Americanadjective
-
causing intense surprise, disgust, horror, etc.
- Synonyms:
- appalling, startling, astounding, staggering
-
very bad.
shocking manners.
adjective
-
causing shock, horror, or disgust
-
a vivid or garish shade of pink
-
informal very bad or terrible
shocking weather
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of shocking
Vocabulary lists containing shocking
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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.
It’s shocking but not surprising that the overentitlement dynamic, which I call misogyny, takes over.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
“The court granted the motion over objections. We hope the survivors are able to continue healing, both emotionally and physically, from this shocking event.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Which, of course, Jaguars kicker Cam Little attempted, and made, sending the Eagles back home across the Atlantic with a shocking 19-17 loss and a carry on of gloomy vibes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
Giles Bristow, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, said last year's figures equated to a discharge every five minutes, which he called a "shocking statistic".
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
It may be, too, that he wanted to show in the most startling and shocking way possible how easy it was to deceive the awful, venerated, humbly adored divinities.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
