Definitions
01emotional surprise
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Psychology
n. a sudden, unpleasant surprise that makes you feel upset or confused.
n. a sudden and disturbing physical or mental experience caused by an unexpected event.
日本語:ショック※
“It was a huge shock to hear that the company was closing so suddenly.”
“The news of the sudden policy reversal came as a profound shock to the local community, who had expected years of stability.”
Synonyms
02medical condition
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Medicine
n. a dangerous medical condition where the blood does not move around the body correctly.
n. a critical physiological state characterized by a sudden drop in blood flow through the body, often following trauma.
日本語:ショック※
“The victim was treated for shock after the car accident.”
“Paramedics monitored the patient closely for signs of hypovolemic shock while transporting him to the intensive care unit.”
03electricity
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Physics
n. the painful feeling of electricity passing through your body.
n. the physiological effect or sensation caused by an electric current passing through the body.
Español:jalonazo
“I got a small shock when I touched the metal door handle.”
“Always disconnect the power supply before attempting repairs to avoid the risk of a fatal electric shock.”
Synonyms
04physical impact
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Physics
n. a sudden, heavy hit or crash.
n. a violent collision or impact between two bodies.
Español:choque
“The watch is designed to survive the shock of being dropped on the floor.”
“The structural engineers reinforced the bridge to withstand the seismic shocks common in that particular geographical region.”
05thick hair
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary
n. a thick, messy pile of hair on someone's head.
n. a thick, bushy, or tangled mass of hair.
“He had a wild shock of white hair that made him look like a scientist.”
“A thick shock of unruly black hair fell over his forehead, partially obscuring his eyes as he leaned over the manuscript.”
06to surprise or upset
B1 · Intermediate
v. to make someone feel very surprised and upset.
v. to affect with great surprise, horror, or disgust. Transitive; requires a direct object.
“The violent scenes in the movie shocked many people in the audience.”
“The scale of the corruption scandal shocked the nation and led to immediate calls for the prime minister's resignation.”
07unexpected and surprising
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. used to describe something very surprising or upsetting, often in news.
adj. intended to cause intense surprise or horror; often used attributively in journalism.
“The team suffered a shock defeat in the first round of the tournament.”
“The tabloid published a shock report claiming that the celebrity couple had secretly married over the weekend.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “shock” in context.
Verb
01. cushion the shock
“The company offered a generous severance package to cushion the shock of the layoffs.”
verb + noun
02. express shock at the news
“World leaders were quick to express shock at the news of the sudden assassination.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
03. recover from the shock
“It took her several months to fully recover from the shock of losing her home in the fire.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
04. profound shock
“The community felt a sense of profound shock after the local library was vandalized.”
adj + noun
05. nasty shock
“I got a nasty shock when I opened the envelope and saw how much money I owed in taxes.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. electric shock
“Always turn off the power before fixing a socket to avoid getting a dangerous electric shock.”
adj + noun
07. state of shock
“The survivors of the accident were wandering around the site in a state of shock.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
08. in shock
“She sat there in shock, unable to believe that she had actually won the lottery.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Arday's family said in a statement that they were "in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son".” “Their financial shock shows that costs may only become clear when it's too late to course-correct.” Etymology
From Middle Dutch schokken (“to push, jolt, shake, jerk”) or Middle French choquer (“to collide with, clash”), from Old Dutch skokkan (“to shake up and down, shog”), from Proto-Germanic skukkaną (“to move, shake, tremble”). Of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to Proto-Germanic skakaną (“to shake, stir”), from Proto-Indo-European (s)kek-, *(s)keg- (“to shake, stir”); see shake. Cognate with Middle Low German schocken (“collide with, deliver a blow to, move back and forth”), Old High German scoc (“a jolt, swing”), Middle High German schocken (“to swing”) (German schaukeln), Old Norse skykkr (“vibration, surging motion”), Icelandic skykkjun (“tremulously”), Middle English schiggen (“to shake”). Doublet of shog.
Variant of shag.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
02. sticker shock
The word in film
Poster: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Shock Corridor · 1963 · Mystery
- Directed by:
- Samuel Fuller
- Starring:
- Peter Breck, Constance Towers, Gene Evans
Samuel Fuller directs this harrowing psychological thriller about an ambitious journalist who feigns insanity to solve an unsolved murder inside a psychiatric hospital. The title describes the traumatic psychiatric therapies and profound mental disorientation he endures within the facility's volatile wards.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/shock
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0