scioccante
/ʃokˈkan.te/
The English word "shocking" is translated into Italian as scioccante.
scioccante is an adjective used to describe something that is startling or inspires shock.
Meaning: inspiring shock, startling (adj)
Which one should you use?
While scioccante describes something that causes shock, the word scandaloso is often used if the shock is specifically due to a moral scandal or outrage.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective scioccante is invariable in gender, so it remains the same whether it is describing a masculine or feminine noun. To make the adjective plural, add an -i to the end to form scioccanti.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /ʃokˈkan.te/.
Did you know?
- The root of scioccante is the verb scioccare, which is a modern adaptation of the English word 'shock'.
- To express that someone is 'shocked' in a casual way, Italians often say rimasto a bocca aperta, which literally means 'left with the mouth open'.
- If a person is in a state of shock, they might be described as stravolto, a word that literally means 'turned upside down'.
Examples in context
- Ciò è davvero scioccante.This is really shocking.This sentence shows how to use scioccante to describe a situation as really shocking.Tatoeba #4466120 by Guybrush88, translation #2812849 by CM
- Io pensavo fosse scioccante.I thought it was shocking.This sentence demonstrates how to express a past thought using scioccante.Tatoeba #4984401 by Guybrush88, translation #4983600 by CK
- La confessione di Tom fu scioccante.Tom's confession was shocking.This sentence illustrates the use of scioccante to describe a confession.Tatoeba #9460931 by Guybrush88, translation #9457426 by CK
- La notizia è stata sconvolgente.The news was shocking.
- La rivelazione è stata scioccante per tutti.The revelation was shocking for everyone.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Lorenzo are discussing a news report.
- GiuliaHai letto l'ultima notizia? È scioccante!Did you read the latest news? It's shocking!
- LorenzoNo, cosa è successo, Giulia?No, what happened, Giulia?
- GiuliaHanno chiuso tutta la scuola improvvisamente.They closed the whole school suddenly.
- LorenzoDavvero? È una notizia scioccante.Really? That is shocking news.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry scioccante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
