to shock the hell out of someone

Examples

• All

• One day, maybe he would write home and send pictures and shock the hell out of all those who had written him off.

  Fiction book (1998)

• I must admit, the Saints game last year shocked the hell out of me.

  Blog text (26)

• I did shock the hell out of a "fitness assessor" once, though.

  Blog text (13)

• It must've shocked the hell out of you when Frank walked in on Pine Road and you couldn't finish.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Don't worry though, you will get your chance to continue to delude yourself in 2 years when our demographic doesn't show up at the voting booth, but they will come back for the general election again, and shock the hell out of you again, and again, and again, until you realize the demographics have changed and will continue to change.

  Blog text (8)

• She could have spoken well of unions and union workers, holding to a hard line, but strengthening her bond to the middle class and working people—and shocked the hell out of everyone.

  Blog text (27)

• The news of her sudden resignation shocked the hell out of everyone in the office.

• Winning the lottery shocked the hell out of him; he couldn't believe his luck.

Synonyms

S

to surprise

vsto shock the hell out of someone

∞ 1.0

To cause someone to feel wonder by doing something they do not expect

is more extreme and sudden, causing stronger emotional disturbance than mere astonishment

S

to shock

vsto shock the hell out of someone

202 2.1

To cause someone to feel sudden surprise and distress

is the more extreme informal form used to show greater emotional intensity

S

to startle

vsto shock the hell out of someone

131 3.7

To make someone react suddenly because they feel surprised or afraid

is more intense and longer lasting than a quick brief reactive jump

R

to rock

vsto shock the hell out of someone

107 4.4

To cause a sudden strong shock or upset to people

is focused on sudden extreme surprise rather than general disturbance

S

to scare the hell out of

vsto shock the hell out of someone

• Informal

56 6.7

To make someone very afraid

is similar but can include surprise without primarily being about fear

B

to blow your mind

vsto shock the hell out of someone

• Informal

50 6.2

To surprise someone a lot and make them feel excited

is more about extreme sudden shock and not necessarily positive amazement

B

to blindside

vsto shock the hell out of someone

27 6.2

To surprise someone without warning so they feel shocked or upset

is stronger and more extreme, focusing on sudden intense emotional reaction

C

to catch off guard

vsto shock the hell out of someone

15 4.0

To surprise someone so they are not ready to react

is more extreme, causing a deeper and often overwhelming emotional response

S

to stun

vsto shock the hell out of someone

11 3.0

To surprise someone so much they cannot react for a short time

is more about intense surprise without necessarily causing temporary immobility

S

to stupefy

vsto shock the hell out of someone

9 7.9

To make someone unable to think or react after a very strong shock

is more about strong surprise rather than long lasting cognitive dulling

J

to jolt

vsto shock the hell out of someone

8 4.3

To surprise someone and make them react

tends to express a greater overall emotional impact rather than brief disturbance

S

to stagger

vsto shock the hell out of someone

7 3.8

Surprise someone very much

is more of an extreme and sudden reaction than a lasting unsettled feeling

S

to scare the bejesus out of

vsto shock the hell out of someone

• Informal

5 8.8

To make someone very afraid

is more general sudden extreme surprise rather than specifically fear focused

S

to scare the bejesus

vsto shock the hell out of someone

• Informal

5 9.0

To frighten someone very much by a sudden event or loud noise

is usually less about fear and more about broad, intense sudden emotional reaction

S

to scare the life out of

vsto shock the hell out of someone

• Informal

3 5.6

To make someone very afraid

is more centered on extreme sudden surprise rather than pure fright

K

to knock for a loop

vsto shock the hell out of someone

• Informal

1 8.7

To surprise someone very much and leave them speechless

is an even stronger, more intense and informal way to express surprise

K

to knock over with a feather

vsto shock the hell out of someone

• Informal

1 8.8

To be so surprised that you almost cannot react

causes a strong emotional reaction but not always complete inability to respond

H

to hit like a ton of bricks

vsto shock the hell out of someone

• Informal

1 8.0

To feel a sudden strong shock or surprise

is similar but is usually more informal and uses stronger language

H

to hit like a lightning bolt

vsto shock the hell out of someone

8.2

To feel sudden shock or surprise

is more general and stresses broad emotional shock rather than a single sharp hit

H

to hit like a tidal wave

vsto shock the hell out of someone

7.3

To suddenly feel a very strong emotion that you cannot control

is more about sudden startling surprise rather than a slow overwhelming build

K

to knock the living daylights out of

vsto shock the hell out of someone

• Offensive

9.9

To hit someone very hard or to shock someone very much

when not physical, is a forceful extreme form of sudden emotional upset

S

to shoot someone's face off

vsto shock the hell out of someone

• Offensive

9.9

To surprise someone very strongly, often in a funny way

is similar in impact but is less literal and more playful or ironic

Antonyms

C

to calm

962 1.0

Make a person or animal less upset

B

to bore

15 1.4

To make someone feel tired or not interested by being dull when you speak

How Surprised

to shock the hell out of someone

• Informal

2 8.1

to astonish

13 3.5

to shock

202 2.1

to surprise

∞ 1.0

to startle

131 3.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology