sticker shock
4
6.5
- noun
- /ˈstɪkər ʃɑk/
- US
:
shock por el precio
- The first time I saw the tag, I had sticker shock.
- get sticker shock
- Sticker shock hits
- suffer sticker shock
But I think the court had sticker shock on both sides.
- But I think the court had sticker shock on both sides.
Examples
-
Admit that in the past, you've been the one on the receiving end of that sticker shock.
Blog text (5) -
Once they realize there are a few pre-made things available, they have a severe case of sticker shock.
Blog text (26) -
Get ready for some initial sticker shock.
Blog text (10) -
The last thing I want to happen is to get sticker shock after making a hefty purchase.
Blog text (30) -
There will be some sticker shock, though: look at the prices of the more serious m43 lenses.
Blog text (9) -
I'm one of those people who think a starting price of $1500 is a bit of a sticker shock.
Blog text (27) -
Earnest says he has had firsthand experience with ER bills that leave the patient with sticker shock.
Blog text (24) -
But it's still hard not to feel the sluggishness of the economy when I go to fill up my gas tank or get sticker shock at the grocery store when I'm just getting what most would consider basic staples like chicken, milk, cheese, bread, and veggies.
Blog text (31) -
Financial Planning: Sticker shock for the physical renovations and the anticipated expense of purchasing new equipment every few years as technology evolves can cause school administrators to reconsider investing in the project.
Academic text (2008) -
Many people experience sticker shock when they see the high prices of new cars.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A sudden feeling of wonder when something is unexpected
567
2.3
A sudden strong feeling of surprise and distress after an unexpected event
Antonyms
How Surprised
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is built from 'sticker' (a price/label) causing 'shock' (surprise), so there is a clear compositional link: surprise at a price. However, the commercial sense of 'sticker' as a price label and the conventionalized collocation 'sticker shock' may not be immediately obvious to a B1 learner without exposure, so the relation is partially inferable but not fully predictable.
Etymology
Sticker shock comes from the simple image of a shopper seeing a price sticker and feeling a sudden shock. One popular story says that when clear price stickers became common, buyers were surprised by high numbers, so the phrase now means 'a strong surprise or dismay when something costs much more than expected'.