sticker shock
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of sticker shock
sticker ( price ) + shock
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.
But if you are used to paying low premiums for an older gas guzzler, you might get sticker shock.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
When gas prices surged in March, lower-income drivers tried to cut back, but they still felt the sticker shock.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
The finances of larger companies are also suffering, while passengers face sticker shock from costs to travel.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026
That sticker shock follows years of high inflation already weighing down wallets.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
“Maybe the sticker shock kind of started wearing off,” he said Sunday.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
Definitions 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.
