culture shock

American  

noun

culture shocks plural

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 British  

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

---

culture shock Idioms  

1. 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]

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• culture-shocked
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• culture shocks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of culture shock

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Norishige Sato’s culture shock came in the form of the free chips and salsa that arrived unbidden at a Mexican restaurant in Texas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

She talked about her first night out with her Californian roommate and the culture shock of seeing students wearing shorts to class and their public displays of affection.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

This culture shock played out a different way with the students Tran taught English to in Vietnam.

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2025

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

From BBC • Sep. 12, 2025

It was culture shock for both sides, and the best they could do was form an uneasy alliance.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge