shocking

adjective

shock·​ing ˈshä-kiŋ How to pronounce shocking (audio)
: extremely startling, distressing, or offensive
shocking news
shockingly adverb

Examples of shocking in a Sentence

The number of young teenagers who smoke is shocking. a shocking waste of money The building is in a shocking state.
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.
After some rumors and rumblings, Burnes landed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in a shocking turn of events. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025 That’s a bit shocking for the current winner of the Best New Artist Grammy. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 But even with Edwards’ shocking loss, this outpouring of grief and tributes — the decals, the touching video montages on national TV, the mentions in interviews — had to catch many NASCAR fans off guard. Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 The school yearbook has closed on another shocking season of Yellowjackets. Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shocking

Word History

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shocking was in 1653

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Cite this Entry

“Shocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shocking. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

shocking

adjective
shock·​ing
: causing horror or disgust
a shocking crime
shocking behavior
shockingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on shocking

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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