shocking

[shok-ing]

adjective

1. causing intense surprise, disgust, horror, etc.

   Synonyms: appalling, startling, astounding, staggering

2. very bad.

   shocking manners.

shocking

/ ˈʃɒkɪŋ /

adjective

1. causing shock, horror, or disgust

2. a vivid or garish shade of pink

3. informal,  very bad or terrible

   shocking weather

Other Word Forms

• shockingly adverb
• shockingness noun
• unshocking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shocking¹

First recorded in 1685–95; shock ¹ + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Trust chief executive Anthony May described the alleged comments made by staff as "shocking".

From BBC

Covering the criminal justice system in Louisiana often means familiarizing myself with things people in other parts of the country might find shocking.

From Salon

He claims the council stopped co-operating and went behind his back, and that their conduct has been "evasive, misleading and at times shocking".

From BBC

Speaking at a news conference in Glasgow, Sarwar described the allegations against Smyth as "deeply distressing and shocking for all of us and for people across the parliamentary estate".

From BBC

Forestry Research had been working with border control for years to check such products for Ips, but in 2018 made a shocking discovery in a wood in Kent.

From BBC

Related Words

• appalling 
• awful 
• disgraceful 
• disgusting 
• disquieting 
• distressing www.thesaurus.com
• dreadful 
• ghastly 
• heinous 
• horrible 
• horrific 
• horrifying 
• shameful 
• terrible 
• ugly