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

Survivor: Marquesas An underrated season that saw the first totem pole shake-up: where people on the bottom got together to overthrow those on the top. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 15 May 2025

UnitedHealth Group announced a new CEO, a surprising shake-up as the company navigates the aftermath of UnitedHealthcare leader Brian Thompson’s killing. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 14 May 2025

Verb

He's shaken up Washington and defied many of the rules that have long guided the global order. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 15 May 2025

The series loss shook up the top of the polls, with LSU moving up three places to No. 1 in the USA Today coaches poll for the first time this season and the Razorbacks dropping three spots to No. 5. —Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 13 May 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