sticker shock
Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I felt sticker shock when I saw the price of the coffee.”
“He has sticker shock because the car repairs are very expensive.”
“She avoids sticker shock by checking the price tags before she shops.”
“Many shoppers experienced sticker shock when they saw how much the new electronics cost this year.”
“You might get sticker shock when you see the monthly rent for a small apartment in the city center.”
“We wanted to fly home for the holidays, but the sticker shock from the ticket prices changed our minds.”
“After the waiter brought the bill for our dinner, the added service fees gave us a real sense of sticker shock.”
“Upon reviewing the architect's final estimate for the home renovation, the couple suffered from severe sticker shock and immediately requested a more modest proposal.”
first recorded 20th c.
First recorded c. 1981, the term refers to the adhesive price stickers commonly affixed to consumer goods. It describes the physical encounter between a prospective buyer and the unexpectedly high cost displayed on the label.
Last updated August 10, 2026