shocking
SHO-kihng
Shocking (adj) means Extremely surprising, upsetting, or disturbing. Example: “The shocking news left the whole village silent for several minutes.”
adj
1
Extremely surprising, upsetting, or disturbing.
"The shocking news left the whole village silent for several minutes."
"The report revealed shocking levels of pollution in the river."
"It's shocking how little he knows about his own company."
2
Very poor in quality.
"The standard of the food at the canteen was absolutely shocking."
"Their handwriting is shocking, so nobody can read the notes."
"The service at that restaurant was shocking."
How to use shocking
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSo bad, surprising, or disturbing that it stops you in your tracks.
When to use it
In British informal speech, "shocking" often just means "very bad," as in "shocking weather."
Common pairings
shocking news
absolutely shocking
shocking behaviour
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Word forms
- Plural
- shockings
- Comparative
- more shocking
- Superlative
- most shocking
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ news left the whole village silent for several minutes.
Etymology
Formed from shock and -ing.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for shocking
See all rhymes for shocking →Frequently asked questions
What does “shocking” mean?
The word “shocking” means extremely surprising, upsetting, or disturbing. In plain terms, so bad, surprising, or disturbing that it stops you in your tracks.
How do you pronounce “shocking”?
“Shocking” is pronounced SHO-kihng (/ˈʃɑkɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “shocking” in a sentence?
Here is “shocking” used in a sentence: “The report revealed shocking levels of pollution in the river.”
What part of speech is “shocking”?
“Shocking” is an adjective.
Is “shocking” a common word?
“Shocking” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “shocking” have?
“Shocking” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: extremely surprising, upsetting, or disturbing.
What is the difference between shocking and surprising?
Surprising simply means unexpected, while shocking is much stronger, implying something is extremely upsetting, disturbing, or offensive as well as unexpected. A shocking event provokes a strong emotional reaction, whereas a surprising one may be mild or even pleasant.
What is the difference between shocking and shocked?
Shocking describes the thing that causes the reaction, as in "a shocking result," while shocked describes the person feeling it, as in "I was shocked." Mixing the two is a common mistake: the cause is shocking and the person is shocked.
Is shocking always negative?
Almost always. Shocking describes something extremely surprising and upsetting, or something very poor in quality, so it carries a strongly negative tone. It is rarely used for good things, though "shockingly good" can be used for deliberate emphasis.
