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.
Continuing a recent pattern of face-to-furniture collisions on the talk show, the 69-year-old's head made a momentous journey plummeting toward the program's storied table at the top of Tuesday's live broadcast, after panelist Joy Behar made a shocking joke about Sean Combs. Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 3 June 2025 Sunday’s result was shocking because DeRias had been so good as a freshman this season, entering this game with a 3.98 ERA. Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 2 June 2025 Viewers may be surprised to learn that the movie is inspired by one of the most shocking true crimes in Spain’s history. Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025 Read on for the best and most shocking moments from the SI runway. Brittany Talarico, People.com, 2 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shocking. Accessed 6 Jun. 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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