1
a
: affected by shock : stricken with sudden mental or emotional disturbance
"Oh, no!" Mrs. Quimby was shocked. "How much is that going to cost?"Beverly Cleary
… I am so shocked to see him that I do not know what to do.Jane Austen
b
: showing or expressing shock
Her voice faltered as she saw the shocked amazement on her father's face.Mary Norton
In place of a roar at the end of the year's most anticipated race, there was only a shocked silence.Tim Layden
2
of a mineral : having a crystal structure that has been deformed by exposure to sudden extremely high pressure (as from a meteorite impact or a nuclear blast)
Grains of shocked quartz have long been used as criteria for impact (extraterrestrial objects or nuclear bombs) …Stephen Jay Gould

Examples of shocked in a Sentence

the escaping bridegroom bid farewell to the shocked wedding guests as he ran out the door we were shocked at the appalling conditions in the prison the hikers were so shocked at the sight of a bear that they didn't dare move
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.
The model's celebrity friends were equally shocked at the haircut. Catherine Santino, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025 In post-match interviews, Pochettino sometimes seemed almost shocked at the lack of effort from his squad and suggested, vaguely at least, that other players would be brought in to replace underperforming ones should the issue continue. Pablo Maurer, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025 The recipe, like many spinach dip recipes, calls for fresh spinach to be blanched and shocked. Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 26 Mar. 2025 And the reaction from the crew members on set as David rejected deal after deal was equally shocked. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shocked

Word History

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of shocked was in 1675

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Cite this Entry

“Shocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shocked. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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