shocking
gb/ʃˈɑkɪŋ/ us/ʃˈɑkɪŋ/
B2
Inglês
~ 8300
Aceções
0 aceções
adjective
B2
property
1
very surprising and upsetting
Making you feel very surprised and upset, often because something bad has happened.
Padrão de uso:
it is shocking that [clause]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes use *shocking* for pleasant surprises. In everyday English, *shocking* is almost always negative. For a good surprise, people say *amazing*, *wonderful*, or *incredible*, not *shocking*.
Sinónimos
appalling (Emphasizes how horrifying or extremely upsetting something is, often with moral judgment.)
|
stunning (Can mean very surprising, but is often positive; 'shocking' is usually negative.)
Antónimos
unsurprising (Describes something that does not cause surprise or shock.)
|
reassuring (Describes something that makes you feel calmer instead of shocked or upset.)
Colocações
shocking news
|shocking revelation
|shocking discovery
|shocking crime
|shocking footage
|shocking story
Temas
emotions
|society
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- The news of the explosion was shocking to everyone in the city.
- Her sudden resignation came as a shocking surprise to her colleagues.
- The documentary contained shocking images of the disaster zone.
- It was shocking to learn how many children were affected by the scandal.
- The report reveals the shocking truth about how the company treated its staff.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The accident was shocking for the whole family.
- It is shocking that so many people lost their homes.
- The video showed shocking scenes from the war.
- The teacher's sudden death was shocking for the students.
- The story in the newspaper was shocking and very sad.
adjective
B2
property
2
morally very bad or offensive
Very wrong or bad in a moral way; not acceptable to people.
Padrão de uso:
shocking [behavior/action/practice]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse *shocking* with *shocked*. *Shocking* describes the thing that is very bad or offensive (a shocking comment), while *shocked* describes the person who feels bad or surprised (I was shocked by his comment).
Sinónimos
outrageous (Adds a sense that the behavior makes people angry as well as shocked.)
|
disgraceful (Focuses on shame and loss of respect, not just surprise.)
Antónimos
acceptable (Means not especially good but allowed or within normal limits, the opposite of 'shocking' behavior.)
|
admirable (Describes behavior that people respect and praise, the moral opposite of 'shocking'.)
Colocações
shocking behavior
|shocking abuse
|shocking injustice
|shocking negligence
|shocking treatment
|shocking lack of respect
Temas
ethics
|society
|core_vocabulary
|relationships
Exemplos
- The company's shocking treatment of its workers led to public protests.
- They uncovered shocking abuses in the care home.
- It is shocking that corruption at this level has been ignored for so long.
- The politician made a shocking remark about refugees during the interview.
- The report highlights the shocking conditions in the prison system.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- His rude comments were shocking and hurt many people.
- The animals were kept in shocking conditions.
- It is shocking that some children do not have enough food.
- Her shocking behavior upset everyone at the party.
- They spoke about the shocking injustice in the legal system.
adjective
informal
B2
property
3
extremely bad in quality
Very, very bad in quality or level.
Padrão de uso:
shocking [service/weather/performance]
Erro comum:
Learners may think *shocking* here always involves surprise, but in informal British English it often just means 'extremely bad' without strong surprise. It is also usually negative, not a general intensifier like *very*.
Sinónimos
terrible (Very common everyday word; *shocking* can sound a bit stronger or more emotional.)
|
dreadful (Similar strength; often slightly more formal or British-sounding than *terrible*.)
Antónimos
excellent (Direct opposite in terms of quality; describes something very good.)
|
decent (Means acceptable or okay, which contrasts with the very bad quality implied by *shocking*.)
Colocações
shocking weather
|shocking service
|shocking performance
|shocking state
|shocking conditions
|shocking excuse
Temas
daily life
|quality
|daily_life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- The hotel room was in a shocking state when we arrived.
- The internet connection here is shocking; I keep losing the signal.
- Their customer service is absolutely shocking, and I would never use them again.
- The team's defending last night was shocking.
- We had shocking weather for the entire holiday.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The food at that restaurant was shocking.
- My exam result was shocking, so I will study more next time.
- The bathrooms were in a shocking state and very dirty.
- The Wi‑Fi in this café is shocking.
- We had shocking traffic on the way home.
adjective
C1
property
4
extremely bright, intense color
Very strong and bright in color and easy to see from far away.
Padrão de uso:
shocking [color]
Erro comum:
Learners may think *shocking* here always includes moral judgment. In this sense it often only means 'very bright and strong in color', though it can suggest the color is a bit too much.
Sinónimos
neon (Often used before a color (neon pink) to mean very bright, especially in fashion or design.)
|
garish (Describes colors that are not only bright but also in bad taste.)
Antónimos
subtle (Describes colors that are gentle, soft, and not eye‑catching.)
|
muted (Describes colors that are soft and not very bright.)
Colocações
shocking pink
|shocking orange
|shocking yellow
|shocking hair color
|shocking shade of red
Temas
appearance
|fashion
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- She wore a dress in shocking pink that turned every head in the room.
- He dyed his hair a shocking shade of green for the festival.
- The artist used shocking orange on the walls to create a bold effect.
- Her shocking purple lipstick clashed with the rest of her outfit.
- The car was painted a shocking yellow that was impossible to miss.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- She bought a shocking pink jacket.
- His shoes are a shocking green color.
- The walls were painted a shocking yellow.
- I do not like such shocking colors on clothes.
- Her shocking red hair was easy to see in the crowd.
Gramática
Forma de dicionário
shocking
IPA
GB/ʃˈɑkɪŋ/
US/ʃˈɑkɪŋ/
Sílabas e acento
shock - ing (2 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (shock)
Formas da palavra
Adjective
- Base: shocking
- Comparative: shockinger
- Superlative: shockingest
Família de palavras
Forms
shockinger
adjective
shockingest
adjective
Core family
Related words
shocker
noun
Expressões
a shocking waste (of [something])
1/ə ʃˈɑkɪŋ wˈeɪst əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
extremely bad and unnecessary waste
A very bad and unnecessary use of money, time, or another valuable thing.
Exemplos
- Leaving the lights on all night is a shocking waste of electricity.
- Throwing away so much good food is a shocking waste.
- It would be a shocking waste of talent if she gave up music.
in a shocking state
1/ˈɪn ə ʃˈɑkɪŋ stˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
in very bad condition
In very bad condition; not clean, not working well, or badly cared for.
Exemplos
- The toilets were in a shocking state after the concert.
- This house is in a shocking state and needs a lot of work.
- The road is in a shocking state and full of holes.
it's shocking that
1/ˈɪts ʃˈɑkɪŋ ðˈæt/
fixed phrase
expressing strong disapproval or surprise
Used to say that a situation is very bad or surprising and you strongly do not like it.
Exemplos
- It's shocking that so many people still live without clean water.
- It's shocking that the problem was ignored for years.
- It's shocking that nobody tried to help her.
shocking pink
1/ʃˈɑkɪŋ pˈɪŋk/
fixed phrase
extremely bright pink color
A very strong, bright pink color that is easy to see and looks very intense.
Exemplos
- She walked in wearing shocking pink high heels.
- They painted the nursery shocking pink, which surprised their friends.
- His backpack is shocking pink, so you can spot him instantly.