shake-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈshāk-ˌəp 

: an act or instance of shaking up

specifically : an extensive and often drastic reorganization

shake up

2 of 2

verb

shook up; shaken up; shaking up; shakes up

transitive verb

1

obsolete : chide, scold

2

: to jar by or as if by a physical shock

the collision shook up both drivers

3

: to effect an extensive and often drastic reorganization of

Synonyms

Verb

• appall
• appal
• floor
• jolt
• shock

Examples of shake-up in a Sentence

Verb

the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Romance could also experience a shake-up — don’t be surprised if an ex or an old flame comes into the picture. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 3 May 2025

Trump shakes up national security team Mike Waltz is out as President Trump's national security adviser and is instead his new nominee for ambassador to the United Nations in a major shake-up of the national security team. —Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 3 May 2025

Verb

But the contempt power significantly shakes up that balance of power. —Henry Gass, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2025

Some do this to lower their caffeine intake, some are looking to avoid digestive upset, and some are just trying to shake up their routines. —Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1847, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shake-up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup

Kids Definition

shake-up

1 of 2 noun

ˈshā-ˌkəp

: an act or instance of shaking up

especially : a reorganization that has extreme effects

lost their jobs in an office shake-up

shake up

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)shā-ˈkəp

1

: to jar by or as if by a physical shock

the accident shook up both drivers

the news shook us up

2

: to bring about an extensive reorganization of