a shock to the/someone's system

idiom

: something that has a sudden and usually unpleasant effect on someone

The cold weather was a shock to my system after being in the tropics.

For freshmen, college life can be a real shock to the system.

Examples of a shock to the/someone's system in a Sentence

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Perhaps a shock to the system for some with 30 of the world’s top 50 having never played a competitive round at the Old Course. —

Jordan Campbell, The Athletic, 22 Aug. 2024 Yet the quiet puncturing of the myth of WWII solidarity on the homefront feels nearly as visceral a shock to the system as that opening of fire and carnage. —

David Fear, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024 That first cold snap before heaters come on and the sweaters come out is always a shock to the system. —

Maggie Horton, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024 Telogen effluvium is the name given to temporary hair loss caused by a shock to the system. —

Sarah Madaus, Allure, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for a shock to the/someone's system

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“A shock to the/someone's system.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20shock%20to%20the%2Fsomeone%27s%20system. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

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