culture shock

noun

1. a state of bewilderment and distress experienced by an individual who is suddenly exposed to a new, strange, or foreign social and cultural environment.

culture shock

noun

1. sociol the feelings of isolation, rejection, etc, experienced when one culture is brought into sudden contact with another, as when a primitive tribe is confronted by modern civilization

Other Words From

• culture-shocked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of culture shock¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Idioms and Phrases

A state of confusion and anxiety experienced by someone upon encountering an alien environment. For example, It's not just jet lag—it's the culture shock of being in a new country . This term was first used by social scientists to describe, for example, the experience of a person moving from the country to a big city. It is now used more loosely, as in the example. [Late 1930s]

Example Sentences

Ophir, an American by birth, says he experienced a bit of a culture shock when he moved to Israel.

From The Daily Beast

Upon joining the modern world, he was hit with horrendous culture shock (it was the mid-90s and he had never even seen a phone).

From The Daily Beast

When did you start getting attention from guys, and was that a sort of a culture shock for you?

From The Daily Beast

Moving from the West Bank to South Bend, Indiana—I imagine we're in for a big culture shock.

From The Daily Beast

According to Chastain, moving across the country to New York City was “scary” and “a culture shock.”

From The Daily Beast