Surprise vs. Shock — What's the Difference?

To cause to feel wonder, astonishment, or amazement, as at something unanticipated

A violent collision, impact, or explosion, or the force or movement resulting from this

To encounter or discover suddenly or unexpectedly; take or catch unawares

Something that suddenly causes emotional distress

To attack or capture suddenly and without warning

A sudden feeling of distress

To cause (someone) to do or say something unintended or to be in an unintended condition

A massive, acute physiological reaction usually to physical trauma, infection, or allergy, characterized by a marked loss of blood pressure, resulting in a diminished blood flow to body tissues and a rapid heart rate.

To elicit or detect through surprise

The sensation and muscular spasm caused by an electric current passing through the body or a body part.

The act of surprising or the condition of being surprised

A sudden economic disturbance, such as a rise in the price of a commodity.

Something, such as an unexpected encounter, event, or gift, that surprises.

A shock absorber.

Something unexpected.

A number of sheaves of grain stacked upright in a field for drying.

The feeling that something unexpected has happened.

A thick heavy mass

(transitive) To cause (someone) to feel unusually alarmed or delighted by something unexpected.

To surprise and disturb greatly

(transitive) To do something to (a person) that they are not expecting, as a surprise.

To induce a state of physical shock in (an animal or person).

(intransitive) To undergo or witness something unexpected.

To subject (an animal or person) to an electric shock.

(intransitive) To cause surprise.

To administer electric current to (a patient) to treat cardiac arrest or life-threatening arrhythmias.

(transitive) To attack unexpectedly.

To administer electroconvulsive therapy to (a patient).

(transitive) To take unawares.

To come into contact violently, as in battle; collide.

The act of coming upon, or taking, unawares; the act of seizing unexpectedly; surprisal; as, the fort was taken by surprise.

To gather (grain) into shocks.

The state of being surprised, or taken unawares, by some act or event which could not reasonably be foreseen; emotion excited by what is sudden and strange; a suddenly excited feeling of wonder or astonishment.

A sudden, heavy impact.

Anything that causes such a state or emotion.

(figuratively) Something so surprising that it is stunning.

A dish covered with a crust of raised paste, but with no other contents.

(psychology) A sudden or violent mental or emotional disturbance.

To come or fall suddenly and unexpectedly; to take unawares; to seize or capture by unexpected attack.

(medicine) Electric shock, a sudden burst of electrical energy hitting a person or animal.

To strike with wonder, astonishment, or confusion, by something sudden, unexpected, or remarkable; to confound; as, his conduct surprised me.

(psychology) A state of distress following a mental or emotional disturbance.

To lead (one) to do suddenly and without forethought; to bring (one) into some unexpected state; - with into; as, to be surprised into an indiscretion; to be surprised into generosity.

(medicine) Circulatory shock, a medical emergency characterized by the inability of the circulatory system to supply enough oxygen to meet tissue requirements.

To hold possession of; to hold.

(physics) A shock wave.

The astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

A shock absorber (typically in the suspension of a vehicle).

A sudden unexpected event

(mathematics) A discontinuity arising in the solution of a partial differential equation.

The act of surprising someone

A chemical added to a swimming pool to moderate the chlorine levels.

Cause to be surprised;

An arrangement of sheaves for drying; a stook.

Come upon or take unawares;

A lot consisting of sixty pieces; a term applied in some Baltic ports to loose goods.

Attack by storm; attack suddenly

(by extension) A tuft or bunch of something, such as hair or grass.

(obsolete) A small dog with long shaggy hair, especially a poodle or spitz; a shaggy lapdog.

Causing intense surprise, horror, etc.; unexpected and shocking.

(transitive) To cause to be emotionally shocked; to cause (someone) to feel surprised and upset.

(transitive) To give an electric shock to.

(transitive) To subject to a shock wave or violent impact.

To meet with a shock; to collide in a violent encounter.

(transitive) To add a chemical to (a swimming pool) to moderate the chlorine levels.

(transitive) To collect, or make up, into a shock or shocks; to stook.

A pile or assemblage of sheaves of grain, as wheat, rye, or the like, set up in a field, the sheaves varying in number from twelve to sixteen; a stook.

A lot consisting of sixty pieces; - a term applied in some Baltic ports to loose goods.

A quivering or shaking which is the effect of a blow, collision, or violent impulse; a blow, impact, or collision; a concussion; a sudden violent impulse or onset.

A sudden agitation of the mind or feelings; a sensation of pleasure or pain caused by something unexpected or overpowering; also, a sudden agitating or overpowering event.

A sudden depression of the vital forces of the entire body, or of a port of it, marking some profound impression produced upon the nervous system, as by severe injury, overpowering emotion, or the like.

The sudden convulsion or contraction of the muscles, with the feeling of a concussion, caused by the discharge, through the animal system, of electricity from a charged body.

A dog with long hair or shag; - called also shockdog.

A thick mass of bushy hair; as, a head covered with a shock of sandy hair.

To collect, or make up, into a shock or shocks; to stook; as, to shock rye.

To be occupied with making shocks.

To give a shock to; to cause to shake or waver; hence, to strike against suddenly; to encounter with violence.

To strike with surprise, terror, horror, or disgust; to cause to recoil; as, his violence shocked his associates.

To subject to the action of an electrical discharge so as to cause a more or less violent depression or commotion of the nervous system.

To meet with a shock; to meet in violent encounter.

Bushy; shaggy; as, a shock hair.

The feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally;

The violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat;

A reflex response to the passage of electric current through the body;

(pathology) bodily collapse or near collapse caused by inadequate oxygen delivery to the cells; characterized by reduced cardiac output and rapid heartbeat and circulatory insufficiency and pallor;

An instance of agitation of the earth's crust;

An unpleasant or disappointing surprise;

A pile of sheaves of grain set on end in a field to dry; stalks of Indian corn set up in a field;

A bushy thick mass (especially hair);

A mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses;

Surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off;

Strike with disgust or revulsion;

Strike with horror or terror;

Collide violently

Collect or gather into shocks;

Subject to electrical shocks

Inflict a trauma upon