Shocking — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈshä-kiŋ/ shock·ing

Meaning & Definition of Shocking

Shocking (adjective)

  1. extremely startling, distressing, or offensive

Shocking (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness

    "we all clustered around to hear the shocking news of our colleague's sudden death"

    similar: amazing, astonishing, astounding, blindsiding, dumbfounding, eye-opening, flabbergasting, jarring, jaw-dropping, jolting, startling, stunning, stupefying, surprising
    related: unannounced, unanticipated, unexpected, unforeseen, awesome, awful, breathtaking, fabulous, heart-stopping, marvelous, miraculous, portentous, prodigious, staggering, stupendous, sublime, wonderful, wondrous, extraordinary, phenomenal, rare, sensational, spectacular, befuddling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, discomfiting, disconcerting, dismaying, flustering, muddling, nonplussing, perplexing, upsetting, incomprehensible, inconceivable, incredible, unbelievable, unimaginable, unlikely, unthinkable, singular, uncommon, unique, unusual, unwonted, conspicuous, notable, noticeable, outstanding, remarkable, impressive, striking
    opposite: unsurprising
    near: common, customary, mundane, normal, ordinary, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual

  2. causing fear

    "the shocking appearance of a shark just a few yards off shore"

    similar: alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying
    related: daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving, bone-chilling, creepy, eerie, weird, appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish
    near: calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing, nonintimidating, nonthreatening

  3. causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment

    "the shocking behavior of some rowdies at the dance"

    similar: abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, disgusting, distasteful, dreadful, evil, foul, fulsome, gross, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, loathsome, nasty, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, noxious, obnoxious, obscene, odious, offensive, rancid, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, scandalous, sickening, ugly
    related: exceptionable, objectionable, brackish, disagreeable, dislikable, unpleasant, contemptible, despicable, detestable, hard, hateful, unhealthy, unsavory, unwholesome, execrable, lousy, miserable, atrocious, frightful, ghastly, grim, grisly, gruesome, heinous, horrific, horrifying, lurid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish, sick, sickish, sickly, terrible, unspeakable, vile, off-putting, undesirable, unwanted, unwelcome, barbarous, unchristian, uncivilized, ungodly, unholy, distressing, disturbing, upsetting
    opposite: innocuous, inoffensive
    near: acceptable, agreeable, alluring, appealing, attractive, blessed, congenial, darling, delectable, delicious, delightful, delightsome, desirable, dreamy, dulcet, enjoyable, felicitous, gratifying, heavenly, inviting, likable, luscious, nice, palatable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, savory, sweet, welcome, unexceptionable, unobjectionable, healthful, healthy, restorative, salubrious, salutary, wholesome

  4. extremely disturbing or repellent

    "a soldier who had witnessed the shocking sight of his best friend being killed"

    similar: appalling, atrocious, awful, dreadful, frightful, ghastly, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, horrific, horrifying, lurid, macabre, monstrous, nightmare, nightmarish, terrible, terrific
    related: alarming, bloodcurdling, dire, direful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, gut-wrenching, hair-raising, heart-stopping, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, terrifying, abhorrent, deplorable, disagreeable, disgusting, distasteful, loathsome, nauseating, noisome, obnoxious, obscene, offensive, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, sickening, abominable, evil, foul, heinous, noxious, odious, unspeakable, vile, grotesque, ugly, unsightly
    near: agreeable, appealing, attractive, delectable, delicious, delightful, enjoyable, enticing, inviting, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome, cheering, comforting, soothing

Shocking (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: appalling, flooring, jolting, shaking up, knocking for a loop
    related: astonishing, bowling over, dumbfounding, flabbergasting, freaking (out), stunning, stupefying, affrighting, alarming, dismaying, frightening, frighting, horrifying, panicking, scarifying, scaring, spooking, startling, terrifying, terrorizing, disgusting, nauseating, repelling, revolting, sickening, turning off, displeasing, offending, outraging, scandalizing, amazing, astounding, awing, chilling, daunting, demoralizing, dispiriting, emasculating, undoing, unmanning, unnerving, unstringing, discomforting, discomposing, disconcerting, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, shaking, unsettling, upsetting, weirding out, crushing, overpowering, overwhelming
    near: buffering, cushioning, delighting, gratifying, pleasing, rejoicing, tickling, charming, enticing, tempting, assuring, cheering, comforting, consoling, solacing, soothing, reassuring

  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: amazing, astonishing, astounding, bowling over, dumbfounding, flabbergasting, flooring, rocking, startling, stunning, stupefying, surprising, thunderstriking, knocking for a loop, taking aback, taking by surprise
    related: befuddling, bewildering, blindsiding, blowing away, confounding, confusing, dazing, discomfiting, disconcerting, dismaying, jarring, muddling, nonplussing, perplexing, shaking up

  3. to strike with fear

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

    similar: affrighting, alarming, frightening, frighting, horrifying, panicking, scarifying, scaring, spooking, startling, terrifying, terrorizing, giving one the creeps, making one's flesh creep
    related: appalling, bowling over, dismaying, flooring, jolting, shaking, shaking up, amazing, astounding, awing, chilling, daunting, demoralizing, dispiriting, emasculating, psyching (out), undoing, unmanning, unnerving, unstringing, discomforting, discomposing, disconcerting, disquieting, distracting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, unsettling, upsetting, worrying
    opposite: reassuring
    near: assuring, cheering, comforting, consoling, solacing, soothing, emboldening, encouraging, heartening, inspiring, steeling

Related Entry: Shock (verb)

Shock is a different word from Shocking. The synonyms below are for shock, not for shocking.

  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

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Shocking

The most common words with a similar meaning to Shocking:

amazing, astonishing, astounding, blindsiding, dumbfounding, eye-opening, flabbergasting, jarring, jaw-dropping, jolting, startling, stunning, stupefying, surprising, alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying, abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Shocking

Words with the opposite meaning of Shocking:

unsurprising, innocuous, inoffensive, reassuring

Related Words for Shocking

unannounced, unanticipated, unexpected, unforeseen, awesome, breathtaking, fabulous, heart-stopping, marvelous, miraculous, portentous, prodigious, staggering, stupendous, sublime, wonderful, wondrous, extraordinary, phenomenal, rare, sensational, spectacular, befuddling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, discomfiting, disconcerting, dismaying, flustering

Near Antonyms of Shocking

common, customary, mundane, normal, ordinary, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing, nonintimidating, nonthreatening, acceptable, agreeable, alluring, appealing, attractive, blessed, congenial, darling, delectable

Word Forms of Shocking

Derived words: shockingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Shocking

First known use: 1653

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Shocking

Words & Phrases Containing Shocking

shocking pink

Frequently Asked Questions about Shocking

What does "Shocking" mean?

"Shocking" means extremely startling, distressing, or offensive. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: extremely startling, distressing, or offensive. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Shocking"?

Other words for "Shocking" include amazing, astonishing, astounding, blindsiding, dumbfounding, eye-opening, flabbergasting and jarring. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Shocking" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Shocking"?

There are 226 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Shocking". Common alternatives include amazing, astonishing, astounding, blindsiding, dumbfounding, eye-opening, flabbergasting, jarring, jaw-dropping and jolting.

What is the opposite of "Shocking"?

Antonyms of "Shocking" include unsurprising, innocuous, inoffensive and reassuring. Near antonyms include common, customary, mundane and normal.

How do you use "Shocking" in a sentence?

Examples of "Shocking" in a sentence: "we all clustered around to hear the shocking news of our colleague's sudden death"; "the shocking appearance of a shark just a few yards off shore"; "the shocking behavior of some rowdies at the dance".

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

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

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

As a B2-level word, "Shocking" 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 "Shocking"?

"Shocking" is pronounced /ˈshä-kiŋ/ and divided into syllables as shock·ing.