In a foreign country most of us go through culture shock.
Source: tatoeba (21951)
Shock
/ʃɒk/
Synonyms for "shock" (512 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (103)
Noun(15 words)
abscessac arcaccidentacheachingagitateagueamplifyanaphylactic shockanemiaankylosisanoxiaaperiodic dischargeapneaappallappulsearcarc columnarc dischargeasphyxiation
Show 55 more words
asthmaastonishastoundataxiaatrophyawebackachebankbatchbattle fatiguebleedingblennorheablowbobbobbleboltbombshellbouncebowl downbowl overbreakdownbreathbruntbrush dischargebulldozingbullingbumpbunchcachexiacachexycalamitycannoncarambolecaromcasualtycataclysmcatalepsycatastrophechargechatterchillchillsclashclumpclustercockcoliccollapsecollisioncomacombat fatigueconcussionconstipationcontretempsconvulsion
Verb(11 words)
Adjective(2 words)
astonishedbig surprise
Strong matches (153)
copsecoughingcrack upcrack-upcrampcrashcropcrumpcrunchcutcyanosisdazedevastatediarrheadidderdisasterdischargediscombobulatediscomposedisconcert
Show 97 more words
disgustdismaydisquietdisruptive dischargedistressdisturbditherdizzinessdolordriftdropsydumbfounddysenterydyspepsiadyspneaearthquakeedemaelectric dischargeelectric shockelectric sparkelectrifyelectrodeless dischargeemaciationencephalitis lethargicaencounterenergizeeye-openerfaintingfalterfatiguefeverfibrillationflabbergastfleecefloorflurryflusterflutterfluxfreezefrightfrightenfussgalvanic shockgalvanizegenerategive offenseglow dischargegriefgrimacegross outgroupgroupinggroupmentgrovegrowthhammeringhassockhave an agueheadhead of hairheaphemorrhagehighhigh blood pressurehillhorrifyhorrorhurthustlehydropshypertensionhypoglycemic shockhypotensionicterusill hapimpactimpingementindigestioninflammationinjuryinsomniainsultitchingjactitatejarjaundicejerkjigjiggetjigglejogjogglejoltjostlejouncejump
Noun(26 words)
cushiondazedazesdazingdisbeliefdisgust someonedismaysdumbfoundingdumfoundingearthquakeselectrical injuryelectrical shockelectrifyelectrocuteelectrocutinggalvanizehitjarjarringjars
Adjective(3 words)
Related words (256)
knockknotlabored breathinglesionlethargylocksloop inlotlow blood pressurelumbagomanemarasmusmassmatmaulingmeetingmental shockmessmisadventuremischance
Show 176 more words
misfortunemishapmopmoundmountainmownarcohypnosisnarcolepsynarcomanarcosisnarcotic stupornarcotizationnasal dischargenasty blownauseanauseatenecrosisnervous exhaustionneurogenic shocknodnonplusnumboffendonslaughtoscillatory dischargeoutrageoverwhelmpainpangparalysisparalyzepassionpercussionperturbpetrifypilepileupplug inpoulsen arcprostrationprotein shockpruritusput offpyramidquakequakerquaverquiverrammingrashrattlerepelrepercussionrevelationrevoltrheumrickrictusrockruckrufflescandalizescarescare stiffscare to deathsclerosissecondary shocksedationseizureserum shockshagshakeshake upshell shockshipwreckshivershockershortshort circuitshort-circuitshuddersickensideswipesilent dischargeskin eruptionsledgehammeringsleeping sicknessslewsmashsmash-upsmashingsmashupsneezingsoporsoresore spotsparkspark gapspasmstackstaggerstaggering blowstartstartlestep downstep upstiffenstirstockpilestookstressstress of lifestrike dumbstrike terror intostrokestunstupefactionstupefystuporsufferingsurgical shocksurpriseswitch offswitch onswoontabestachycardiataketake abacktemblortender spotterrifyterrorthanatosisthatchthicketthroesthrowthrustingthunderbolttictingletragedytrancetraumatraumatismtraumatizetrembletremortressestroubletufttumorturnturn offturn onturn the stomachtussocktwitchtwitterunsettleupsetupset stomachvertigovibratevomitingwallopwastingwhompwispwobblewonderwoundwound shockwreckwrench
Verb(21 words)
nonplusingoffendoutragerepulsedrockedscandalisescandalizescandalizedscandalizesshakensickenedsideswipedstartledstupefiessurprisedtake abacktraumatisetraumatizetraumatizedtraumatizes
Show 1 more word
Noun(33 words)
Adjective(5 words)
Interjection(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: blow, electric shock, impact, abscess, ac arc.
- Sentence evidence is available for shock, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "shock".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "shock"
Keep "shock" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "shock" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "shock", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "shock" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
66 entriesShowing 16 of 66 words.
More specific
17 entriesShowing 16 of 17 words.
Collocations
6 entrieselectric shockemotional shockshock absorbershock therapyshock valueshock wave
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesTranslations
54 translations across 29 languages.
Arabic
1 entries- صَدْمَة noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Belarusian
1 entries- уда́р noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Bengali
1 entries- সদমা noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Bulgarian
2 entries- сблъ́скване noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- у́дар noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Catalan
1 entries- xoc noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 衝擊 /冲击 noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Czech
2 entries- náraz noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- šok noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Dutch
2 entries- schok noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- shock noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Esperanto
1 entries- ŝoko noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
Finnish
2 entries- isku noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- jytky noun (sudden, heavy impact)
French
3 entries- choc noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- choc noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
- choc émotionnel noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
Greek
2 entries- κλονισμός noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- κραδασμός noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Higaonon
1 entries- nakalitan noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Hindi
1 entries- झटका noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Indonesian
2 entries- kejutan noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- syok noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Irish
1 entries- suaitheadh intinne noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
Italian
2 entries- trauma noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
- trauma emotivo noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
Japanese
1 entries- 衝撃 noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Korean
1 entries- 충격 noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Latin
1 entries- impulsus noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Māori
2 entries- rutunga noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- whētuki noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
Polish
1 entries- wstrząs noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Portuguese
3 entries- choque noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- choque noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
- choque emocional noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
Russian
1 entries- уда́р noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Spanish
4 entries- anonadación noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
- anonadamiento noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
- choque noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- conmoción noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
Swedish
2 entries- chock noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- skräll noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Turkish
1 entries- şok noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Ukrainian
3 entries- потрясі́ння noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
- уда́р noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- шок noun (a sudden mental or emotional disturbance)
Vietnamese
3 entries- bất ngờ noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- choáng noun (sudden, heavy impact)
- ngạc nhiên noun (sudden, heavy impact)
Sample sentences
32 total sentences available.
We all shuddered from the great shock.
Source: tatoeba (28815)
It won't be a long time before she recovers from the shock.
Source: tatoeba (32419)
Betty got over the shock.
Source: tatoeba (33947)
Showing 4 of 32 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "shock"?
Closest matches include blow, electric shock, impact, abscess, ac arc.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "shock"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.