culture shock

noun

: a sense of confusion and uncertainty sometimes with feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to an alien culture or environment without adequate preparation

Examples of culture shock in a Sentence

Foreign students often experience culture shock when they first come to the U.S. Moving to the city was a huge culture shock for him.
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.
Bob's Olive Garden mix-up isn't the first time an American has shared a culture shock after going on vacation. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 His visit to the USA was a culture shock that sparked his interest in the American lifestyle. Maria Williams, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025 The Hamptons was faced with culture shock on Thursday night when some of Metallica‘s most faithful fans descended upon the upscale vacation spot for an intimate, invite-only show to see the hard rockers in action. William Earl, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025 What a culture shock to go from Scotland to Miami to Los Angeles. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for culture shock

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of culture shock was in 1932

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Culture shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture%20shock. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

culture shock

noun
: a sense of confusion and uncertainty sometimes with feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to an alien culture or environment without adequate preparation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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