shut down; shutting down; shuts down
: to settle so as to obscure vision : close in
the night shut down early
: to make ineffective in competition
shut down the opposition's offensive line
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
Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
As expected, Tuesday’s report showed an unusually high spike in housing prices that was effectively a methodology hangover from the most recent federal government shutdown.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
Early in 2026, Stord acquired a Dallas-area fulfillment center from American Eagle Outfitters after the apparel retailer shut down its Quiet Logistics division.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
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Noun
The Senate unanimously approved a resolution to withhold lawmakers’ pay during government shutdowns, aiming to encourage faster resolution of federal budget impasses after record-breaking closures.
—Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
As expected, Tuesday’s report showed an unusually high spike in housing prices that was effectively a methodology hangover from the most recent federal government shutdown.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Verb
Elayyat was hired by San Diego County as a chief of agency operations in February 2020, just days before the pandemic shut down much of the nation and county health officials scrambled to stem the spread of the disease.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
Early in 2026, Stord acquired a Dallas-area fulfillment center from American Eagle Outfitters after the apparel retailer shut down its Quiet Logistics division.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
Cite this Entry
“Shutdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutdown. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shutdown
noun
shut·down
ˈshət-ˌdau̇n 
: an ending of an activity
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