culture shock

noun

1. a state of bewilderment and distress experienced by an individual who is suddenly exposed to a new, strange, or foreign social and cultural environment.

culture shock

noun

1. sociol the feelings of isolation, rejection, etc, experienced when one culture is brought into sudden contact with another, as when a primitive tribe is confronted by modern civilization

Other Word Forms

• culture-shocked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of culture shock¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Idioms and Phrases

A state of confusion and anxiety experienced by someone upon encountering an alien environment. For example, It's not just jet lag—it's the culture shock of being in a new country. This term was first used by social scientists to describe, for example, the experience of a person moving from the country to a big city. It is now used more loosely, as in the example. [Late 1930s]

Example Sentences

Edward, in his all-black leather outfit with his wild hair, is a visual culture shock, especially in comparison to the pastel world of the burbs he moves into.

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Sporting a conquistador moustache and thighs as thick as a gaucho's steak, the culture shock was severe when the Argentina wing arrived at Harlequins.

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Patel’s presence at the bureau has been something of a culture shock for a buttoned-up workforce, used to wearing suits and ties.

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It was the biggest culture shock of my life.

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But at a recent gathering she had a "culture shock" when she realised she was actually the oldest attendee.

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