shock jock

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A deliberately offensive or provocative talk show host.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

“To slam a movie about hate radio for fostering hate is like saying that a movie about the Ku Klux Klan will foster the Klan,” he says, adding that the death threats against Barry Champlain, “Talk Radio’s” shock jock, are not the imaginings of a feverish, Hollywood-inspired imagination.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “shock jock” mean?

A deliberately offensive or provocative talk show host.

Is “shock jock” formal or informal?

shock jock is generally slang.