shocking

adjective

shock·​ing ˈshä-kiŋ How to pronounce shocking (audio)
Synonyms of shockingnext
: extremely startling, distressing, or offensive
shocking news
shockingly
ˈshä-kiŋ-lē How to pronounce shocking (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of shocking

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Examples of shocking in a Sentence

The number of young teenagers who smoke is shocking. a shocking waste of money The building is in a shocking state.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Chad Gable won his first Intercontinental Championship inside his hometown of Minneapolis, while Baron Corbin makes his return to WWE PLEs in a United States Championship against Trick Williams with a shocking win. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The 95-year-old actor said a doctor initially dismissed a lump before a second opinion led to a shocking Stage 4 malignant melanoma diagnosis. — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026 And there’s an endearingly shaggy side to this film, all the more shocking given its then-record cost. — Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Aug. 2026 This may have seemed shocking to those who associated alien life primarily with science fiction invasion scenarios like The War of the Worlds. — Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for shocking

Word History

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shocking was in 1653

Phrases Containing shocking

Rhymes for shocking

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Browse Nearby Words

shock horror
shocking
shockingly
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Cite this Entry

“Shocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shocking. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

shocking

adjective
shock·​ing
: causing horror or disgust
a shocking crime
shocking behavior
shockingly
-iŋ-lē How to pronounce shocking (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on shocking

Nglish: Translation of shocking for Spanish Speakers

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