shutdown

1 of 2

noun

shut·​down ˈshət-ˌdau̇n 

: the cessation or suspension of an operation or activity

shut down

2 of 2

verb

shut down; shutting down; shuts down

intransitive verb

: to settle so as to obscure vision : close in

the night shut down early

transitive verb

: to make ineffective in competition

shut down the opposition's offensive line

Synonyms of shutdown

Noun

• cessation
• halt
• ending
• closure
• end
• close
• conclusion

Examples of shutdown in a Sentence

Noun

the shutdown of the factory

the factory resumed operation after a brief shutdown for repairs

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

High operating costs and fluctuating trends in private donation were also cited as reasons for the shutdown. — News Desk, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026

After Washington’s two-week shutdown of foreign access to Anthropic’s Mythos model, global governments have never been more receptive to Mistral’s arguments for AI independence. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026

Verb

In the event states lose their lawsuits that aim to shut down prediction markets, the next-best thing might be for the traditional sportsbooks to fail in their excursions into prediction markets. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 7 Aug. 2026

In 2025, a crematory in south suburban Chicago Heights owned by Clark Morgan was shut down by state officials after the remains of more than 100 bodies were found improperly stored. — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1888, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1779, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for shutdown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

shutdown

noun

shut·​down ˈshət-ˌdau̇n 

: an ending of an activity