1
as in collision
a forceful coming together of two things
the whole railway platform shook from the shock of the two trains colliding
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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
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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
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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
Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Silence and anxiety grip the capital Caracas, caused by the shock of the January 3 attack and the fear of the government’s heavy-handed response.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Jenelle Riley, Variety, 6 Jan. 2026
Tatiana was shocked by the diagnosis.
—Liz McNeil, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shock
Noun
In a family in which such direct, vulnerable declarations are rare, Agnes’ comment is both a shock and a catharsis.
—Verb
Rather than comply, Deborah shocks everyone by telling the audience the truth and loses her show.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for shock
Noun
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Conversely, collision coverage helps when your own car is damaged in a crash, whereas medical coverage helps cover treatment costs following an accident.—
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Neither alcohol nor drugs were determined to be factors in the collision.—
Noun
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To our astonishment, what had seemed during fieldwork to be a single massive pile of ash was in fact a layered series of burning events.—
-
Express your astonishment at being selected and your heartfelt desire to go for it.—
Verb
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Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.—
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Russia and China claim to be appalled, too, but to use a classic diplomatic expression, the leaders in Beijing and Moscow should be invited, with all due respect, to shut their traps.—
Verb
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But no one was surprised by the play in the Panthers’ locker room, even after Scott’s struggles in 2024.—
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While each deposit may seem small, this money can snowball over time and surprise you.—
Verb
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After scaring off the animal, one of the hikers, a physician, attempted to revive Kovatch, but did not find a pulse.—
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Don’t let the tackiness of this primer scare you.—
Noun
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The basket and the crowd's reaction gave Calipari a jolt on the sideline.—
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The Anteaters withstood an early jolt from Cal State Fullerton in their Big West Conference matchup, but came back with several blows of their own in an 86-64 win at Titan Gym.—
Noun
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Many prominent sports figures took to social media to express their amazement of Indiana's unprecedented dominance during and after their win over Oregon.—
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Just like my star-bathing ritual, snow-watching elicits that sense of calm and amazement.—
Verb
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Flojaune Cofer, who lost a close race in 2024 for Sacramento mayor and has been mulling a run for the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, said she was horrified by the news out of Venezuela.—
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Some viewers were horrified while others were intrigued.—
Cite this Entry
“Shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shock. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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