How to pronounce shock
Say it like SHOK. Shock is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shock. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHOK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shock pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHOKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of shock
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: SHOK.
What does shock mean?
- the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally“his mother's death left him in a daze”“he was numb with shock”
- the violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat“the armies met in the shock of battle”
- a reflex response to the passage of electric current through the body“subjects received a small electric shock when they made the wrong response”“electricians get accustomed to occasional shocks”
- surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off“I was floored when I heard that I was promoted”
- strike with disgust or revulsion“The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends”
- strike with horror or terror“The news of the bombing shocked her”
Where does shock come from?
Cognate with Middle Low German schocken (“collide with, deliver a blow to, move back and forth”), Old High German scoc (“a jolt, swing”), Middle High German schocken (“to swing”) (German schaukeln), Old Norse skykkr (“vibration, surging mot
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with shock
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shock.
Questions about saying shock
How do you pronounce shock?
Say SHOK. The American pronunciation is /ʃɑk/. In British English it is /ʃɒk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shock?
Shock is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHOK.
Is shock pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ʃɒk/ (SHOK).