SHELL-SHOCKED Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

shell-shocked

adjective

ˈshel-ˌshäkt

Definition of shell-shocked

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

as in dazed

suffering from mental confusion shell-shocked survivors who were in dire need of every kind of help

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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 At halftime, as Duke’s players tersely ran back to the locker room with Siena ahead 43-32, the Blue Devils — and their extended traveling party — were shell-shocked. — Brendan Marks, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026 At halftime of Wednesday night’s game against Villanova at Finneran Pavilion, the UConn women’s basketball team looked shell-shocked. — Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026 Despite being billed as the head and heart of the new and improved Tender, Henry actually freezes in the meeting with the regulator, shell-shocked by a single reference to his failure at Lumi. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2026 That likability should help appease an employee base which has become shell-shocked with cuts and layoffs over decades of mergers. — Lillian Rizzo,alex Sherman, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shell-shocked

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell-shocked

Adjective

Leonardo DiCaprio is put in quite the pickle as a stressed spy in the solid political thriller.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Limit foot traffic on stressed lawns as much as possible to avoid damage.

— Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of stressed

Adjective

Also, if the switch from side by side to one-front/one-back happened instantaneously, your brain would get confused about how to interpret the images delivered from each eye, since the setup would be quite different from what you were used to.

— Abigail Witmer, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Critics of the move have been vocal, and many residents were left confused.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of confused

Adjective

Riggs said the Teamsters’ safety argument is weakened by the inconsistent safety record of human truck drivers, who have fallen asleep at the wheel or driven while distracted or otherwise impaired.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Police will be on the lookout for drivers who are speeding, distracted, and those failing to stop for pedestrians.

— Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of distracted

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shells

shell-shocked

shells out

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“Shell-shocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell-shocked. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shell-shocked

adjective

Example Sentences

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