: extremely startling, distressing, or offensive
shocking news
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
Halfway through the season, things have turned dark — as dark as the empty corners of ExtraMile Arena during Wednesday night’s shocking 72-55 loss to Grand Canyon.
—
Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 9 Jan. 2026
Emergencies are often sudden and shocking, but with the right insurance policy, they can be managed.
—Ethan M. Stone, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Also drawing a crowd was Miami’s shocking victory over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, which scared up 19 million viewers despite being played on the night of New Year’s Eve.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 8 Jan. 2026
One shocking quirk will apply to far more new car buyers than many would imagine.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shocking
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Cite this Entry
“Shocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shocking. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
shocking
adjective
shock·ing
: causing horror or disgust
a shocking crime
shocking behavior
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