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
New Atlas, 4 Apr. 2026
And so those are two big shocks and disruptions to both academics and a student’s social-emotional state that will continue having an impact.
—Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2026
Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
In May, an Italian man was held captive for weeks in a Manhattan townhouse while abductors beat him, shocked him with electric wires and held him over a ledge in order to get his Bitcoin password.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shock
Noun
Carbon runs all the way to the suspension as well, which features an Öhlins NPX fork with carbon fiber sleeves at the front and a TTX36 GP shock at the back.
—New Atlas, 4 Apr. 2026
And so those are two big shocks and disruptions to both academics and a student’s social-emotional state that will continue having an impact.
—Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
Recent controversies in the publishing world around the use of artificial intelligence have shocked some people who think of writing as a pure, individual art form.
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
In May, an Italian man was held captive for weeks in a Manhattan townhouse while abductors beat him, shocked him with electric wires and held him over a ledge in order to get his Bitcoin password.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shock
Noun
-
After the first collision, Beavers' truck continued north, rolled onto its left side, and hit the sound barrier wall on the right shoulder.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Although embedded in spectacle culture, these events occasionally presented the possibility of truly poetic clashes between languages and artistic traditions—what Glissant calls an éclat, collisions that create sparks of novelty.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Apple engineers’ eyes bulged in astonishment.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
-
To his astonishment — and culinary indignation — the screen returned an absolute void.—
Paula Soria,
AZCentral.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Minerliz’ family was relieved — and appalled.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
When the Mach-E hit the scene, plenty of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle purists were appalled by the idea that Ford would badge an EV as a Mustang.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Her plan to surprise her husband quickly spiraled into joyful chaos.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Mamdani’s victory seemed to have surprised and unsettled him.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bossche says the encounter with the rattler hasn't scared her off the trails for good.—
Jasmine Viel,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The outlet reported that, in the other scenario, guides and hotel staff, according to the CIB probe, have been coached to scare trekkers at high altitude, where altitude sickness can occur.—
Alex Nitzberg,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the face of this uncertainty, companies and other organizations are preparing for a world in which the conflict — and subsequent jolt to crude prices — becomes a long-term challenge, affecting everything from travel planning to mail delivery.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Then, as the pandemic waned, in 2023 and early ’24, came two jolts to the system – federal pandemic-era assistance ended, pulling food and food-related funding away from charities, and the number of people seeking food continued to grow.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The book is a mostly light-hearted exploration of Bennett's relationship with the tournament, from growing up in England rooting for his local soccer heroes, to watching in amazement every four years as teams from all over the globe take the spotlight on the World Cup stage.—
Jeffrey Pierre,
NPR,
17 Mar. 2026
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When Adebayo hit his final two foul shots to reach 83 points, players shook their heads in amazement.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The narration returns obsessively to the moments of violence between the parents, which horrify the boy.—
Tim Parks,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The Hortas were horrified to learn that Tania Hernandez, the owner of the small house where their friend was going hungry, was a social services worker for the state charged with the mission of saving frail, elderly and disabled adults like Rabell.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shock. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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