Shocked — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈshäkt/

Meaning & Definition of Shocked

Shocked (adjective)

  1. affected by shock, stricken with sudden mental or emotional disturbance
  2. showing or expressing shock
  3. having a crystal structure that has been deformed by exposure to sudden extremely high pressure (as from a meteorite impact or a nuclear blast)

Shocked (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. affected with sudden and great wonder or surprise

    "the escaping bridegroom bid farewell to the shocked wedding guests as he ran out the door"

    similar: amazed, astonished, astounded, awestruck, bowled over, dumbfounded, dumbstruck, flabbergasted, stunned, stupefied, thunderstruck
    related: blindsided, startled, surprised, aghast, appalled, dismayed, horrified, bewildered, confused, dazed, overwhelmed, agape, awed, awesome, open-mouthed, wide-eyed, widemouthed
    near: blasé, casual, nonchalant, unruffled

  2. filled with disgust

    "we were shocked at the appalling conditions in the prison"

    similar: disgusted, nauseated, repelled, repulsed, revolted, sick, sickened
    related: fed up, weary, angered, angry, apoplectic, cheesed off (chiefly British), displeased, enraged, fuming, furious, horn-mad, incensed, indignant, infuriated, irate, livid, mad, outraged, rankled, riled, roiled, shirty (chiefly British), sore, steaming, teed off, ticked, upset, worked up, wrought (up)
    near: delighted, gratified, pleased, satisfied, thankful, thrilled, tickled, beguiled, bewitched, captivated, charmed, enchanted, enthralled, entranced, fascinated, mesmerized, spellbound

  3. filled with fear or dread

    "the hikers were so shocked at the sight of a bear that they didn't dare move"

    similar: affrighted, afraid, aghast, alarmed, fearful, frightened, horrified, horror-struck, hysterical, scared, scary, spooked, terrified, terrorized
    related: chicken, fainthearted, fearsome, shrinking, shy, timid, timorous, tremulant, tremulous, agitated, anxious, apprehensive, disconcerted, disquieted, disturbed, funky, jittery, jumpy, nervous, panicked, panicky, panic-stricken, perturbed, skittish, uneasy, upset, worried, phobic, appalled, dismayed, startled, cowed, daunted, intimidated, unnerved, coward, cowardly, craven, gutless, lily-livered, pusillanimous, careful, cautious, heedful, prudent, unadventurous, wary
    opposite: fearless, unafraid
    near: adventuresome, adventurous, audacious, bold, daredevil, daring, dashing, gutsy, plucky, spirited, spunky, venturesome, venturous, brave, courageous, gallant, hardy, heroic, intrepid, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous, assured, collected, composed, confident, cool, sanguine, sure, unperturbed, dauntless, resolute, undaunted

Shocked (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: appalled, floored, jolted, shook up, knocked for a loop
    related: astonished, bowled over, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, freaked (out), stunned, stupefied, affrighted, alarmed, dismayed, frighted, frightened, horrified, panicked, scared, scarified, spooked, startled, terrified, terrorized, disgusted, nauseated, repelled, revolted, sickened, turned off, displeased, offended, outraged, scandalized, amazed, astounded, awed, chilled, daunted, demoralized, dispirited, emasculated, undid, unmanned, unnerved, unstrung, discomforted, discomposed, disconcerted, disquieted, distressed, disturbed, perturbed, shook, unsettled, upset, weirded out, crushed, overpowered, overwhelmed
    near: buffered, cushioned, delighted, gratified, pleased, rejoiced, tickled, charmed, enticed, tempted, assured, cheered, comforted, consoled, solaced, soothed, reassured

  2. to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

    "were shocked by the way the law against public intoxication was constantly being broken"

    similar: amazed, astonished, astounded, bowled over, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, floored, rocked, startled, stunned, stupefied, surprised, thunderstruck, knocked for a loop, took aback, took by surprise
    related: befuddled, bewildered, blew away, blindsided, confounded, confused, dazed, discomfited, disconcerted, dismayed, jarred, muddled, nonplussed, perplexed, shook up

  3. to strike with fear

    "the sudden appearance of the ghost shocked us to the core"

    similar: affrighted, alarmed, frighted, frightened, horrified, panicked, scared, scarified, spooked, startled, terrified, terrorized, gave one the creeps, made one's flesh creep
    related: appalled, bowled over, dismayed, floored, jolted, shook, shook up, amazed, astounded, awed, chilled, daunted, demoralized, dispirited, emasculated, psyched (out), undid, unmanned, unnerved, unstrung, discomforted, discomposed, disconcerted, disquieted, distracted, distressed, disturbed, perturbed, unsettled, upset, worried
    opposite: reassured
    near: assured, cheered, comforted, consoled, solaced, soothed, emboldened, encouraged, heartened, inspired, steeled

Related Entry: Shock (verb)

Shock is a different word from Shocked. The synonyms below are for shock, not for shocked.

  1. 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"

    similar: appall, floor, jolt, shake up, knock for a loop
    related: astonish, bowl over, dumbfound, flabbergast, freak (out), stun, stupefy, affright, alarm, dismay, fright, frighten, horrify, panic, scare, scarify, spook, startle, terrify, terrorize, disgust, nauseate, repel, revolt, sicken, turn off, displease, offend, outrage, scandalize, amaze, astound, awe, chill, daunt, demoralize, dispirit, emasculate, undo, unman, unnerve, unstring, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, shake, unsettle, upset, weird out, crush, overpower, overwhelm
    near: buffer, cushion, delight, gratify, please, rejoice, tickle, charm, entice, tempt, assure, cheer, comfort, console, solace, soothe, reassure

  2. to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected

    "were shocked by the way the law against public intoxication was constantly being broken"

    similar: amaze, astonish, astound, bowl over, dumbfound, flabbergast, floor, rock, startle, stun, stupefy, surprise, thunderstrike, knock for a loop, take aback, take by surprise
    related: befuddle, bewilder, blindside, blow away, confound, confuse, daze, discomfit, disconcert, dismay, jar, muddle, nonplus, perplex, shake up

  3. to strike with fear

    "the sudden appearance of the ghost shocked us to the core"

    similar: affright, alarm, fright, frighten, horrify, panic, scare, scarify, spook, startle, terrify, terrorize, give one the creeps, make one's flesh creep
    related: appall, bowl over, dismay, floor, jolt, shake, shake up, amaze, astound, awe, chill, daunt, demoralize, dispirit, emasculate, psych (out), undo, unman, unnerve, unstring, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, disquiet, distract, distress, disturb, perturb, unsettle, upset, worry
    opposite: reassure
    near: assure, cheer, comfort, console, solace, soothe, embolden, encourage, hearten, inspire, steel

Related Entry: Shell-shocked (adjective)

Shell-shocked is a different word from Shocked. The synonyms below are for shell-shocked, not for shocked.

  1. suffering from high levels of physical and especially psychological stress

    "even after the long furlough, the returning soldiers still felt a little shell-shocked"

    similar: stressed, stressed-out, on the rack
    related: burned-out, exhausted, knackered (British), tired, worn-out, undone, unmanned, unnerved, unstrung, edgy, nervous, tense, uneasy, agitated, disturbed, perturbed, troubled, upset, aggravated, angry, annoyed, exasperated, irritated
    near: laid-back, relaxed, rested, carefree, devil-may-care, happy-go-lucky, lighthearted, unconcerned

  2. suffering from mental confusion

    "shell-shocked survivors who were in dire need of every kind of help"

    similar: addle, addled, addlepated, bedeviled, befogged, befuddled, bemused, bewildered, bushed (chiefly Australian), confounded, confused, dazed, distracted, dizzy, dopey, fogged, mixed-up, muddleheaded, muzzy, pixilated, punch-drunk, punchy, raddled, silly, slaphappy, spaced-out, spacey, stunned, stupefied, zonked, zonked-out, at sea, out of it
    related: senseless, unconscious
    opposite: clearheaded
    near: alert, conscious

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Shocked

The most common words with a similar meaning to Shocked:

amazed, astonished, astounded, awestruck, bowled over, dumbfounded, dumbstruck, flabbergasted, stunned, stupefied, thunderstruck, disgusted, nauseated, repelled, repulsed, revolted, sick, sickened, affrighted, afraid, aghast, alarmed, fearful, frightened, horrified, horror-struck, hysterical, scared, scary, spooked, terrified, terrorized, appalled, floored, jolted, shook up, rocked, startled, surprised, frighted

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Shocked

Words with the opposite meaning of Shocked:

fearless, unafraid, reassured

Related Words for Shocked

blindsided, dismayed, bewildered, confused, dazed, overwhelmed, agape, awed, awesome, open-mouthed, wide-eyed, widemouthed, fed up, weary, angered, angry, apoplectic, cheesed off, displeased, enraged, fuming, furious, horn-mad, incensed, indignant, infuriated, irate, livid, mad, outraged

Near Antonyms of Shocked

blasé, casual, nonchalant, unruffled, delighted, gratified, pleased, satisfied, thankful, thrilled, tickled, beguiled, bewitched, captivated, charmed, enchanted, enthralled, entranced, fascinated, mesmerized, spellbound, adventuresome, adventurous, audacious, bold, daredevil, daring, dashing, gutsy, plucky

Origin & Etymology of Shocked

First known use: 1675

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Shocked

Words & Phrases Containing Shocked

shell-shocked

Frequently Asked Questions about Shocked

What does "Shocked" mean?

"Shocked" means affected by shock, stricken with sudden mental or emotional disturbance. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: affected by shock, stricken with sudden mental or emotional disturbance. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Shocked"?

Other words for "Shocked" include amazed, astonished, astounded, awestruck, bowled over, dumbfounded, dumbstruck and flabbergasted. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Shocked" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Shocked"?

There are 159 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Shocked". Common alternatives include amazed, astonished, astounded, awestruck, bowled over, dumbfounded, dumbstruck, flabbergasted, stunned and stupefied.

What is the opposite of "Shocked"?

Antonyms of "Shocked" include fearless, unafraid and reassured. Near antonyms include blasé, casual, nonchalant and unruffled.

How do you use "Shocked" in a sentence?

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".

Is "Shocked" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Shocked" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Shocked" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Shocked" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Shocked"?

"Shocked" is pronounced /ˈshäkt/.