1
as in to close
to position (something) so as to prevent passage through an opening
please shut the door when you leave
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in blocked
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of shut
Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
At Bradford, this meant heading towards exit gates at the back of the stand that were padlocked shut, and turnstiles that could only be operated by anyone entering from outside.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 May 2025
Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
The idea is to tape the mouth shut at night to promote nasal breathing, which some experts claim can have health benefits.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shut
Verb
The bay door, which was supposed to open to release the satellites, was jammed shut.
—Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
At Bradford, this meant heading towards exit gates at the back of the stand that were padlocked shut, and turnstiles that could only be operated by anyone entering from outside.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 May 2025
Adjective
Eventually, burnout forced him to shut it all down.
—Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
The idea is to tape the mouth shut at night to promote nasal breathing, which some experts claim can have health benefits.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shut
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shut
Verb
-
On July 1, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) officially closed, leaving the State Department to administer some of its initiatives while wholly killing countless others.—
Kate Knibbs,
Wired News,
9 July 2025
-
When closed, Samsung's larger foldable is 8.9 mm thick, which is only a little more than the Galaxy S25 Ultra and much less than the 12.1 mm of the Galaxy Z Fold 6.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
Smith, 26, ranked fourth among all NFL interior offensive linemen in ESPN’s survey of coaches, executives and scouts, so the Chiefs would love to lock in a multi-year deal.—
Pete Grathoff
July 14,
Kansas City Star,
14 July 2025
-
The rising star is already locked and loaded with two other big movies after this.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park remained closed to the public on Sunday, with no timeline to reopen.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
14 July 2025
-
Charges will not be filed against anyone at this time, but the case isn't closed, Cochran said.—
Ryan Murphy,
IndyStar,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Some possibilities include: Insufficient airflow in the cabin: This could be a problem with a bad blower motor, but more commonly a plugged cabin air filter.—
Amanda Wallace,
USA Today,
9 July 2025
-
Breastfeed on the side with the plugged duct first.—
Donna Murray, RN,
Parents,
30 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Shut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shut. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share