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.
"Consumers aren't only facing sticker shock at the pump, but also with their utility bills, as electricity prices rose sharply last month," he said.
From Barron's • May 12, 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
Puerto Rico also relies heavily on oil for generating power, but Cathy Kunkel, a consultant with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, said its residents aren’t yet facing the same sticker shock.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
He wanted to recapture that experience, but said the sticker shock left a bad taste, and he does not plan to peruse tickets in future drops.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
Though prices are higher on the West Coast, much of the nation is feeling sticker shock when it is time to fill up.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 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.
