shakeout

1 of 2

noun

shake·​out ˈshāk-ˌau̇t 

1

: the failure or retrenchment of a significant number of firms in the economy or a sector or an industry that usually results in a depressed market

2

: a period or process in which the relatively weak or unessential are eliminated

shake out

2 of 2

verb

shook out; shaken out; shaking out; shakes out

intransitive verb

: to prove to be in the end : turn out

wait to see how things shake out

Synonyms

Verb

• come out
• fall out
• pan out
• prove
• turn out

Examples of shakeout in a Sentence

Verb

after hearing about all the elaborate planning, I can't wait to see how that wedding shakes out

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The shakeout showed why these kinds of mistakes make a difference. —John Werner, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

In reality, the shakeout led to hundreds of companies falling by the wayside, but the strongest companies—Google and Amazon among them—really thrived. —Steve Case, Time, 1 Apr. 2025

Verb

In short, the regular season has come to a close, but the Oklahoma City Thunder still has very little clarity on how the 2025 NBA Draft could shake out from both a pick quantity and positioning standpoint. —Nick Crain, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025

This matchup could even be a potential playoff preview, depending on how everything else shakes out in the standings. —David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1895, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1982, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shakeout

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout