shock ‧ ing S3 /ˈʃɒkɪŋ $ ˈʃɑːk-/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ shocked , ↑ shocking , ↑ shock , ↑ shockproof ; noun : ↑ shock , ↑ shocker , ↑ aftershock ; verb : ↑ shock ; adverb : ↑ shockingly ]
1 . very surprising, upsetting, and difficult to believe:
the shocking news that Mark had hanged himself
a shocking discovery
The anger in his face was shocking.
2 . morally wrong:
It’s shocking that hospitals can deny help to older people.
a shocking waste of money
3 . British English informal very bad SYN terrible :
The path was in a shocking state.
I’ve got a shocking cold.
—shockingly adverb
⇨ ↑ shock 2