shock therapy

noun

The use of a single, very large dose of a medicine.

Similar
electroconvulsive therapyshock treatment
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Meanings

nounshock therapy (usually uncountable, plural shock therapies)

plural shock therapies

  1. uncountableusuallymedicineThe use of a single, very large dose of a medicine.
  2. informaluncountableusuallyeconomicsA government policy of a sudden release of price controls and immediate trade liberalization within a country.
  3. uncountableusuallySynonym of electroconvulsive therapy.

    Synonyms: electroconvulsive therapy

Synonyms & antonyms

nounSynonym of electroconvulsive therapy.

Similar
electroconvulsive therapy

More synonyms by meaning

nountreatment of certain psychotic states by the administration of shocks that are followed by convulsions

Similar
shock treatment
Broader
therapytreatment
Also see
electroconvulsive therapyshock treatment

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From shock + therapy. The medical sense first appears c. 1917 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 休克療法 /休克疗法
  • 休克療法 /休克疗法 (xiūkè liáofǎ)sudden release of price controls and immediate liberalization of the economy
Czech šoková terapie
  • šoková terapiesudden release of price controls and immediate liberalization of the economy
Japanese ショック療法
  • ショック療法 (shokku ryōhō)sudden release of price controls and immediate liberalization of the economy
Polish terapia szokowa
  • terapia szokowasudden release of price controls and immediate liberalization of the economy
Russian шоковая терапия
  • шоковая терапия (šokovaja terapija)sudden release of price controls and immediate liberalization of the economy
Spanish terapia de choque
  • terapia de choquesudden release of price controls and immediate liberalization of the economy
Ukrainian шокова терапія
  • шокова терапія (šokova terapija)sudden release of price controls and immediate liberalization of the economy
Cite this entry
APA

shock therapy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shock%20therapy

MLA

“shock therapy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shock%20therapy. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shock therapy,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shock%20therapy.

Source: shock therapy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.