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
"I have heard stories of some writers using AI prompts to do a first draft which I find shocking because I think... What are you paid for otherwise? What are you there to do?"
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 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
“Moss’s mother was right about this plan. I think this would be a lot more shocking if they didn’t know what we were planning.”
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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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.
