Idiom idiom
shock to the system
Meaning
something that has a sudden and usually unpleasant effect on someone.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Moving to a new country was a shock to the system.”
“The sudden loss of his job was a real shock to the system, but he eventually found a better role.”
“Returning to the harsh winter after years in the tropics proved to be a significant shock to the system for the returning traveler.”
Anchors to
Last updated August 10, 2026