1
as in collision
a forceful coming together of two things
the whole railway platform shook from the shock of the two trains colliding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in astonishment
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to appall
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to surprise
to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected
were shocked by the way the law against public intoxication was constantly being broken
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to scare
to strike with fear
the sudden appearance of the ghost shocked us to the core
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shock
Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
Make sure the hand massager is completely dry before use after cleaning to avoid electrical shocks.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
From the trailer and the film’s plot — centered on two Tel Aviv artists tasked with writing a new anthem for Israel in the days after the October 7, 2023 attacks — you won’t be shocked as to why.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shock
Noun
It might be best expressed by the heartbreak and shock that crossed Richard Sherman’s face on the sideline after Butler’s interception, melting away the confidence that was there moments before.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
Make sure the hand massager is completely dry before use after cleaning to avoid electrical shocks.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
Made entirely in secrecy, the film will shock and inspire.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
From the trailer and the film’s plot — centered on two Tel Aviv artists tasked with writing a new anthem for Israel in the days after the October 7, 2023 attacks — you won’t be shocked as to why.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shock
Noun
-
The logic behind this is that supermassive black hole binaries, which spiral together to lead to collisions and mergers, emit gravitational waves of increasing frequency as their orbits shrink, creating a background hum of gravitational waves.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Working out the math for the collision of, say, two five-solar-mass black holes, the amount of energy blasted out in less than a second by such a merger would be roughly the same as the sun will emit in seven trillion years.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Even with that success, two less-than-stellar seasons in 2022 and 2023 were all Titans leadership needed to show Vrabel the door, firing him after a 6-11 season to mild astonishment from around the league.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
-
In a recent appearance on the Katie Miller Podcast — hosted by the wife of Stephen Miller, who currently serves as homeland security advisor to the White House — Kennedy expressed astonishment that the president is even alive.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But just as those supporters should not be blamed for having mixed feelings, so Spurs staff would be entirely justified in feeling bemused, frustrated and appalled by any suggestion that fans do not want to get a result, just as Postecoglou was two years ago.—
Dan Kilpatrick,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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The unconscionable treatment of maids in Alma’s era finds uncomfortable parallels in the 1980s, when Angelika is both appalled and intrigued by the leering looks of her uncle Uwe (Konstantin Lindhorst).—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But head coach Alvaro Arbeloa surprised everyone by picking academy graduate David Jimenez at right-back.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Trollope wouldn’t have been surprised at Epstein’s rise and fall.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Why this message is designed to scare This scam relies on presentation, not accuracy.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
That kind of stuff is fun, [and] doesn’t scare me too much.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Brew a coffee Most people are aware that java can give them a jolt.—
Katharine Gammon,
Time,
6 Feb. 2026
-
With reactive Uranus stationing direct in your 5th House of Creativity, a passion project or date idea gets a jolt, inviting you to try something new on a whim.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To my amazement, up shot Leo’s hand.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
-
So when the Post relaunched Book World in 2022, readers and writers reacted with the same mixture of amazement and trepidation inspired by the dinosaurs at Jurassic Park.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The rest of the league was horrified by the thought of OKC adding another top prospect to a juggernaut roster.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
6 Feb. 2026
-
When another colleague and I explained this, our guest was horrified.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shock. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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