Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

sticker shock

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.64 in modern English

Syllables
stick-er shock
IPA
27
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.

American usage; Informal; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

Usage

Inflected Forms

Phrases

Questions

What does sticker shock mean?
Disgust, shock, or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale.
Where does sticker shock come from?
Coined c. 1981, in reference to price stickers affixed to items for sale.

How to pronounce sticker shock

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “sticker shock”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “sticker shock”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “sticker shock” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.