1
a
: affected by shock : stricken with sudden mental or emotional disturbance
"Oh, no!" Mrs. Quimby was shocked. "How much is that going to cost?"—
Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary… I am so shocked to see him that I do not know what to do.—Jane Austen
Jane Austen
b
: showing or expressing shock
Her voice faltered as she saw the shocked amazement on her father's face.—Mary Norton
Mary NortonIn place of a roar at the end of the year's most anticipated race, there was only a shocked silence.—Tim Layden
Tim Layden2
of a mineral
: having a crystal structure that has been deformed by exposure to sudden extremely high pressure (as from a meteorite impact or a nuclear blast)
Grains of shocked quartz have long been used as criteria for impact (extraterrestrial objects or nuclear bombs) …—Stephen Jay Gould
Stephen Jay GouldExamples of shocked in a Sentence
the escaping bridegroom bid farewell to the shocked wedding guests as he ran out the door
we were shocked at the appalling conditions in the prison
the hikers were so shocked at the sight of a bear that they didn't dare move
Recent Examples on the Web
Members of the committee were shocked, according to one Congressional staffer, a former USAID OIG official and a source familiar with the USAID OIG’s operations.
—Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Before the lights dimmed, Breezy could be seen moving in towards the visibly shocked fan, where his lips and tongue met her skin.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 12 June 2025
Scores of shocked people gathered near the scene of the crime to observe a minute of silence 24 hours after the rampage in the city of Graz, mourning the victims of one of the worst school shootings in the country’s history.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
By the end of the season, it’s revealed that Charles fell off the boat and Yasmin was too shocked to save him, forcing Harper (Myha’la) to help cover up her part in his death.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocked
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Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Before the lights dimmed, Breezy could be seen moving in towards the visibly shocked fan, where his lips and tongue met her skin.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 12 June 2025
Scores of shocked people gathered near the scene of the crime to observe a minute of silence 24 hours after the rampage in the city of Graz, mourning the victims of one of the worst school shootings in the country’s history.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
By the end of the season, it’s revealed that Charles fell off the boat and Yasmin was too shocked to save him, forcing Harper (Myha’la) to help cover up her part in his death.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shocked
Cite this Entry
“Shocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shocked. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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