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
The decision to end presidential endorsements served as a shock to the system of the Post, with the editorial board having already written an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris.
—
Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Dec. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for a shock to the/someone's system 
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Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Dec. 2024
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
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 22 Dec. 2024.
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