shell-shocked

adjective

ˈshel-ˌshäkt How to pronounce shell-shocked (audio)
Definition of shell-shockednext
1
as in stressed
suffering from high levels of physical and especially psychological stress even after the long furlough, the returning soldiers still felt a little shell-shocked

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion shell-shocked survivors who were in dire need of every kind of help

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shell-shocked The former was shell-shocked by one of the worst offensive lines imaginable in 2021 and eventually flat-lined. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025 McCartney added, still visibly amused and a bit shell-shocked at their Ed Sullivan Show-era American reception. — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Then, carbon-copy goals from Brittany Ratcliffe and Madison Mercado — who got on the end of crosses whipped in by Sofia Huerta in the 26th and 33rd minutes — saw the Current shell-shocked down 3-0 in the 33rd minute. — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026 In December 2023, content creator Harinder Singh claimed to have spoken to Webb's older brother, Kayden, who allegedly said that Ryker was healthy and safe, but that he'd been traumatized and shell-shocked during the immediate aftermath of the incident. — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shell-shocked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell-shocked
  1. stressed
  2. dazed
  3. bewildered
  4. confused
  5. stunned
  6. distracted
Adjective
  • On top of that, supporting developing fruit requires a lot of energy and moisture from plants, and leaving ripe fruit on plants too long can make plants more stressed and vulnerable to drying out.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2026
  • With the fifth and final season of The Bear premiering on Hulu, there's no shortage of chaos for the show's perpetually stressed chefs.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 26 June 2026
Definition of stressed
Adjective
  • Like Mahrez, Austria’s Marcel Sabitzer seemed slightly dazed following the topsy-turvy turn of events.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2026
  • Humans of all ages, in fact, stare dazed into glowing screens.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 19 June 2026
Definition of dazed
Adjective
  • Fido was fine, if a little bewildered, and in February 1973, the board lifted its book bans.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
  • At the risk of sounding less like a columnist and more like a bewildered bystander … what the heck happened?
    — Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
Definition of bewildered
Adjective
  • In Timon, by contrast, everything is a rush, everything is broke-off and confused, everything is hurtling through suffering towards oblivion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • But when non-negotiable tasks are framed as questions, children can become confused about whether the task is actually optional.
    — Siggie Cohen, CNBC, 4 July 2026
Definition of confused
Adjective
  • And when Cape Verde’s Deroy Duarte evened the score with a right footed shot from a difficult angle at the 59-minute mark, the stunned stadium went silent, minus two small spirited clots of Cape Verde fans in the East end zone seats.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • Fans jumped up and down after Folarin Balogun punched in what seemed to be the game’s first goal near the 31-minute mark, then expressed stunned disbelief when the striker was deemed offsides.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of stunned
Adjective
  • Some big rubber balls had been tossed in to keep them distracted.
    — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • The problem, Larson said, is that Congress was highly distracted at the time with passing the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
Definition of distracted

Browse Nearby Words

shells
shell-shocked
shells out
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Cite this Entry

“Shell-shocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell-shocked. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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