shake-up

1 of 2

noun

: 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
After a shake-up in the leadership of her controversial conservatorship, fans began to grow concerned for the musician who virtually disappeared from public life, but started frequently posting dancing videos to her Instagram, often with wild, semi-coherent captions. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025 Yet whispers of a big shake-up have proved to be little more than … whispers. David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
The schedule was underwhelming on paper, but Week 6 still produced a number of important results across the country that will shake up the College Football Playoff race. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025 The development of blockbuster type-2 diabetes and weight-loss drugs that mimic a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1, or GLP-1, has shaken up the world of health care. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shake-up

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1847, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shake-up was in 1538

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shake-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shake-up. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on shake-up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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