shocks 1 of 2

noun

plural of shock
1
as in collisions
a forceful coming together of two things the whole railway platform shook from the shock of the two trains colliding

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2
as in astonishments
the state of being strongly impressed by something unexpected or unusual were in shock after they heard the news of the death of the president

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shocks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shock
1
as in appalls
to cause an unpleasant surprise for Mom was shocked by the terrible news that her cousin had died in an accident I was shocked to find out that I was the victim of identity theft

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2
as in surprises
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected were shocked by the way the law against public intoxication was constantly being broken

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3
as in scares
to strike with fear the sudden appearance of the ghost shocked us to the core

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shocks
Noun
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and officers may soon be equipped with gloves that deliver electrical shocks, which the manufacturer says are intended to de-escalate encounters with individuals. — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 An independent financial economist has partnered with Kalshi on a new AI tool on top of the prediction-market exchange that aims to help small businesses hedge against everything from bad weather to election shocks—without hiring a Wall Street bank. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026 Beyond strengthening supply chain security, this domestic loop insulates manufacturers from international commodity price shocks and significantly cuts the environmental impact of raw material extraction. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026 Recent research has highlighted the role of supply shocks in recessions over a long spell of history. — Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 However, Aramco's CEO warned that the global oil industry currently has almost no room left to absorb further supply shocks. — CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 Perhaps more so than in other parts of the world, Africa has been jolted by global trade shocks, epidemics, and climate uncertainties in recent years. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2026 Over the past two years, her family has endured a cascade of climate and economic shocks. — Kathy Baughman McLeod, Time, 4 Aug. 2026 In labor markets with demand shocks, cognitive scores declined faster than in those where employment remained stable, suggesting that staying on the job longer may help preserve cognitive function. — Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
All the regulars head inside, but then a loud boom shocks viewers. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 23 July 2026 Finally, a mystical Rabbi arrives and shocks the king and queen by taking off all his clothing, getting under the table and crowing like a rooster. — Josh Penn Soskin, Variety, 16 July 2026 Jean-Marie Le Pen shocks France by reaching the presidential runoff, losing to Jacques Chirac in a landslide. — ABC News, 6 July 2026 What shocks her even more is that Laura Kim, a classmate at Columbia, got in. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 30 June 2026 Dislocation from tariffs, onshoring, war, oil, and supply shocks present opportunities for dissident shareholders to show laggards the way. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 25 June 2026 So during her speech, Beulah shocks everyone by saying the ranch will go to Rob-Will. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 19 June 2026 Bubbles Didn’t Enter The Picture That Early In one of the moist unintentionally hilarious moments in the movie, Michael shocks his family by adopting a CGI baby chimpanzee named Bubbles sometime around 1979. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2026 When harvested, the roots are cut, which shocks the plant and can delay root reestablishment for several weeks. — Ryan Bearss, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shocks
  1. collisions
  2. astonishments
  3. horrifies
  4. surprises
  5. scares
  6. jolts
  7. amazes
  8. frightens
Noun
  • Unintentional collisions are fewer in number, as are rocket stages, but are not unprecedented.
    — Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Spotting this behavior early can cut down on the risk of future collisions.
    — Sentry Insurance, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of collisions
Noun
  • The Oscars, airing March 2 on ABC and streaming live on Hulu, will offer up kudos for some of these astonishments.
    — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of astonishments
Verb
  • Watching how the United States treats detainees horrifies many Canadians, said Julia Sande, an immigration attorney with Amnesty International.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 29 July 2026
  • Sunday was another game-long display of why Wembanyama horrifies opponents from either side of the ball.
    — James Jackson, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Definition of horrifies
Verb
  • Tight end Tyler Fortenberry said Rogers' prediction surprises no one on the team.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Advertisement Mosquitoes transmit heartworm disease, a connection Markowski says surprises many dog owners.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of surprises
Verb
  • The exposure obviously scares him, but not enough to stop him from filming his next scene, where he’s been tasked with breaking in newcomer Cami Soul.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Don’t be afraid to volunteer for a responsibility that scares you a little.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Definition of scares
Noun
  • There are no lyrics, no mixing inconsistencies, no jolts of experimental hiss.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026
  • Additional jolts of sophistication come courtesy of a custom Area Environments wall covering, a gold mirror from Made Goods, Jiun Ho sconces, and German photographer Ellen von Unwerth’s black and white snapshot of a carefree Naomi Campbell.
    — Alia Akkam, Architectural Digest, 13 July 2026
Definition of jolts
Verb
  • His greatness is never in question, but to have the league at a standstill because of a 41-year-old free agent amazes me.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • This technology still amazes me.
    — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026
Definition of amazes
Verb
  • The thing that frightens me isn’t that machines will replace people.
    — Maria Colacurcio, Fortune, 28 June 2026
  • What frightens scientists more than the sheer numbers are that the cuts are arbitrary and manifestly pernicious.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Definition of frightens

Browse Nearby Words

shock jocks
shocks
shoddies
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Cite this Entry

“Shocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shocks. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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