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
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Just to step through that studio was enough of a shock to the system.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 7 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for a shock to the/someone's system 
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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
Just to step through that studio was enough of a shock to the system.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 7 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for a shock to the/someone's system
Dictionary Entries Near a shock to the/someone's system
Cite this Entry
“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 21 Nov. 2024.
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