1. to shock or astonish, especially by behaving in a way that violates social conventions
Usage: French origin; often used in the phrase 'épater les bourgeois' (to shock the middle class); literary or formal

Examples

• The avant-garde artist sought to epater the conservative art establishment with provocative installations.
• His unconventional fashion choices were designed to epater his traditional family.
• The punk movement aimed to epater mainstream society with its rebellious aesthetic.
• She used shocking statements to epater her audience during the lecture.
• The filmmaker's controversial scenes were meant to epater viewers accustomed to conventional narratives.