shock
shock — noun
1. a sudden, unexpected event or piece of news that causes a strong emotional react
a sudden, unexpected event or piece of news that causes a strong emotional reaction, especially an unpleasant one
The news of the factory closing came as a complete shock to everyone in the town.
come as a shock — unexpected news pattern
Tuan was in shock for days after receiving the unexpected bill.
in shock — state of emotional disturbance
It was a real shock to discover that the old bridge was no longer safe to use.
a real shock — intensifier pattern
The sudden death of the village doctor sent shock waves through the community.
shock waves — figurative spread of news
Adina got the shock of her life when she saw the winning lottery numbers.
shock of one's life — extreme surprise idiom
- come as a shock
- in shock
- a real shock
- shock of my life
- shock waves
- get a shock
- give someone a shock
- expectation
the opposite of an unexpected event
Grammar Patterns
a shock
shock of [event]
Usage Note
Commonly used with verbs like 'come as', 'get', 'receive', and 'give'. The phrase 'in shock' describes a continuing state of emotional numbness, not the initial moment of surprise.
Common Mistakes
2. the difficult or jarring feeling that comes with adapting to a new or unfamiliar
the difficult or jarring feeling that comes with adapting to a new or unfamiliar situation, especially when the change is hard to get used to
Returning to work after the long holiday was a real shock to the system.
a shock to the system — idiomatic pattern
Moving from a tropical country to northern Canada was a huge cultural shock for Eliska.
cultural shock — domain-specific collocation
The first winter in the mountains was a shock to their bodies after years of city living.
Going from high school to university can be a shock for many young people.
- a shock to the system
- culture shock
- a huge shock
- adjustment difficulty
more formal and descriptive
- jolt
emphasises the suddenness of the change
Grammar Patterns
a shock to the system
a shock to [noun]
Usage Note
The phrase 'a shock to the system' is the most common form of this sense and emphasises the physical or mental difficulty of adaptation. 'Culture shock' is a fixed compound noun for the disorientation felt when experiencing an unfamiliar culture.
3. the painful jolt or dangerous sensation that happens when electricity runs throu
the painful jolt or dangerous sensation that happens when electricity runs through a person's or animal's body, causing muscle tightening, burns, and potentially severe harm
João got a nasty electric shock when he touched the bare wire with wet hands.
get a shock / electric shock — standard collocations
Ravi received a mild shock every time he touched the metal filing cabinet.
received a shock — alternate verb pattern with 'receive'
A mild shock from a static carpet is harmless, but a shock from a power line can kill.
mild shock vs fatal shock — intensity contrast
Nellie felt a sharp shock run up her arm when she touched the broken lamp.
- electric shock
- get a shock
- a nasty shock
- a mild shock
- a fatal shock
- electric shock
the full, more precise form
- jolt
informal; emphasises the sudden feeling
Grammar Patterns
get a shock
an electric shock
Usage Note
When talking about receiving electricity, 'get a shock' or 'receive an electric shock' are the standard forms. 'Electrocute' means to kill by electric shock, not just to receive one.
Common Mistakes
4. a life-threatening physical state in which too little blood circulates through t
a life-threatening physical state in which too little blood circulates through the body, typically brought on by severe injury, heavy blood loss, burns, or intense fear
The ambulance crew treated the accident victim for shock before moving her.
treated for shock — medical context
Without immediate treatment, a patient in shock can suffer organ damage or die.
in shock / go into shock — medical state pattern
The soldier went into shock after losing a large amount of blood from his leg wound.
Paramedics lifted the victim's legs to help maintain blood flow during shock treatment.
Rachid was rushed to hospital in a state of shock after the car crash.
a state of shock — formal medical phrasing
- in shock
- go into shock
- treated for shock
- suffer from shock
- a state of shock
Grammar Patterns
in shock
suffer from shock
go into shock
Usage Note
Do not confuse this medical sense (uncountable, clinical) with sense 1 'in shock' (temporary emotional numbness). Medical shock is a life-threatening physical condition requiring urgent treatment.
Common Mistakes
5. a strong, sudden physical force caused when one object hits another, or the viol
a strong, sudden physical force caused when one object hits another, or the violent shaking that follows an explosion or earthquake
The shock of the bomb blast shattered windows three blocks away.
shock of [explosion] — physical force pattern
Modern buildings are designed to absorb the shock of an earthquake without collapsing.
absorb the shock — engineering collocation
The runner felt the shock of each step travel up through her knees and hips.
The two cars collided with a shock that could be heard from half a kilometre away.
- shock wave
- absorb the shock
- cushion the shock
- the shock of the impact
- impact
focuses on the moment of contact rather than the vibration
- jolt
a shorter, sharper physical shock
- concussion
medical term for shock to the brain
Grammar Patterns
the shock of [physical event]
shock from [explosion/collision]
Usage Note
Physical shock can be measured and described scientifically (shock wave, shock absorber). The verb 'to cushion' or 'to absorb' are common with this sense.
6. a strong feeling of disapproval and offence caused by behaviour or language that
a strong feeling of disapproval and offence caused by behaviour or language that someone considers morally wrong or socially unacceptable
The newspaper headline caused widespread shock among conservative readers.
widespread shock — collective moral reaction
To the shock of the audience, the comedian told jokes that mocked religious figures.
to the shock of [group] — formal reporting structure
Her parents expressed shock at the language used in the film she had watched.
The senator's remarks provoked shock from both sides of the political debate.
- widespread shock
- express shock
- provoke shock
- to the shock of
- shock at
- approval
the opposite of moral offence
Grammar Patterns
shock at [behaviour]
shock that [clause]
Usage Note
This sense is often used in formal or journalistic contexts. It frequently appears with 'express', 'provoke', 'cause', or 'widespread'. In informal conversation, 'offence' or 'disgust' are more common.
7. a thick, bushy patch of hair that stands out clearly, usually on a person's head
a thick, bushy patch of hair that stands out clearly, usually on a person's head, often looking wild or tousled
The artist was known for his wild shock of white hair that stuck out in every direction.
shock of [colour] hair — descriptive pattern
A little girl with a shock of bright red hair ran across the playground.
Selim pushed his thick shock of black hair out of his eyes before speaking.
The old photograph showed a young soldier with a neat uniform and a shock of curly hair.
- a shock of hair
- a shock of white/black/red/curly hair
Grammar Patterns
a shock of [colour/type] hair
Usage Note
This sense is almost always used in the singular, followed by 'of' and a description of the hair. It is a literary or descriptive usage rather than everyday speech.
shock of the new
idiomthe confusing or unsettling feeling caused by encountering something completely unfamiliar or modern
When the village library introduced digital catalogues, the shock of the new was too much for many elderly readers.
shock horror
idiomUsed humorously to show surprise about something that is not actually surprising.
Maya said she doesn't like chocolate—shock horror!
Shock horror, the politician admitted he had told a small lie.
shock — verb
1. to cause a feeling of strong and often unpleasant surprise in someone through an
to cause a feeling of strong and often unpleasant surprise in someone through an unexpected event or piece of news
Kasia was shocked to learn that her favourite café had closed down overnight.
be shocked to [verb] — reaction to news pattern
The sudden drop in temperature shocked everyone who had come to the beach for the weekend.
It shocked Yuna to hear how much the rent had increased since last year.
It shocked [person] to hear/find/discover — structure for new information
The team was shocked by the coach's decision to quit just before the final match.
Nobody was shocked when the unpopular restaurant finally closed its doors.
- be shocked to find
- be shocked by the news
- it shocks someone to hear
- expect
to anticipate something eliminates surprise
Grammar Patterns
shock someone
be shocked to [infinitive]
be shocked by [news]
Usage Note
This sense is milder than sense 2 (OFFEND MORALLY) — it does not imply moral judgment, only strong surprise. Often followed by 'to + infinitive' or 'to hear/find/discover/learn'.
Common Mistakes
2. to strongly upset or offend someone through words or actions that violate what t
to strongly upset or offend someone through words or actions that violate what they consider right, decent, or socially acceptable
Many viewers were shocked by the violent scenes in the documentary.
be shocked by [stimulus] — passive pattern
It shocked the neighbours to discover that the old man had been living without electricity for years.
It shocks [person] to [verb] — impersonal construction
The politician's comments about the poor shocked many people across the country.
Selim was shocked that anyone would treat an animal with such cruelty.
shocked that [clause] — exclamation of disbelief pattern
Nothing shocks Tuan anymore after fifty years of working as a criminal lawyer.
- be shocked by
- be shocked at
- it shocks someone to
- be shocked that
- outrage
stronger; implies anger as well as offence
- scandalise
British; more formal and often relates to social norms
- horrify
stronger; suggests fear as well as disgust
- please
the opposite of causing offence
Grammar Patterns
be shocked at/by [behaviour]
shock someone that [clause]
Usage Note
Frequently used in the passive voice ('be shocked at/by'). The subject of the emotion is the person who finds something wrong, not the person who did the action. 'It shocks me that...' is a common impersonal construction.
Common Mistakes
shock — adjective
1. describing hair that is very thick, wild, and stands out noticeably, often in a
describing hair that is very thick, wild, and stands out noticeably, often in a way that seems untidy or striking
The old gardener had a shock head of grey hair that poked out from under his straw hat.
shock head — attributive use with 'head'
His shock white hair made him easy to spot in a crowded room.
The portrait showed a young woman with shock dark curls tumbling over her shoulders.
The toddler had shock black hair that stuck up messily after every afternoon nap.
- shock hair
- shock head
- shock mane
Grammar Patterns
shock + noun (usually hair)
Usage Note
This adjective is almost exclusively used before a noun describing hair ('shock hair', 'shock head', 'shock mane'). It is somewhat literary and not common in everyday speech.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words describe reactions to unexpected events, but they differ in intensity and nuance. 'Shock' is the strongest and most negative of the group — it implies an unpleasant event that leaves you emotionally disturbed or unable to react immediately. 'Surprise' is the broadest term and can be positive, negative, or neutral ('a pleasant surprise', 'a surprise party'). 'Stunner' is informal and refers to the event or news itself rather than the feeling — 'The news was a real stunner.' 'Jolt' emphasises the suddenness and brief intensity of the experience, like a physical shake. For example: 'The exam results were a shock to the failing student' (deeply upsetting), but 'The exam results were a surprise to everyone who passed' (unexpected but neutral). Use 'jolt' for something that startles you momentarily: 'The alarm clock gave her a jolt.'
Common collocations
Nouns
- shock waves
- shock therapy
- shock treatment
- shock absorber
- shock value
- electric shock
- culture shock
Adverbs
- deeply shocked
- genuinely shocked
- clearly shocked
- visibly shocked
Phrases
- come as a shock
- get a shock
- give someone a shock
- in a state of shock
- recover from shock
- suffer from shock
Prepositions
- in shock
- under shock (medical)
- shock at
- shock by
- shock to the system
Etymology
The word 'shock' entered English in the 1500s from the French 'choc', meaning a violent collision or blow. The French word came from the verb 'choquer' (to strike against), which may have Germanic roots related to the Old High German word 'scoc' (a shake or jolt). Originally used only for physical impact, the meaning expanded in the 1600s to include emotional and mental disturbance. The medical sense (circulatory collapse) dates from the 1700s, and the electrical sense appeared in the mid-1700s after experiments with electricity became common.