shell shock

American  

noun

1. battle fatigue.

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shell shock British  

noun

1. Also called: combat neurosis.  loss of sight, memory, etc, resulting from psychological strain during prolonged engagement in warfare

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Other Word Forms

• shell-shocked
  adjective
• shellshocked
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of shell shock

First recorded in 1915–20

Compare meaning

How does shell-shock compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• shell shock vs. PTSD

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shell shock

“It was just kind of a shell shock for me looking at those numbers. I’m like, ‘I thought this would be way more affordable.’”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

At its peak during the Korean War, 5,000 men were living and being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder, then known as shell shock.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2025

Those dealing with shell shock often had to be sent to hospitals far from the frontlines, and recovery was exceedingly slow as psychologists tried to help them reenter peacetime society.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022

Mr. Howard told NBC that his client appeared “dejected and in shell shock — all the things you would expect” while he was remanded to a cell to await sentencing.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 14, 2022

At first, battlefield commanders tended to dismiss shell shock as nothing more than rank cowardice.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman