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

• prove
• fall 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

Still far from clear that last week’s shakeout was a proper reset in a market with rich valuations and credit conditions slightly less generous than two weeks ago. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025

But while fans eagerly await the leaderboard's final shakeout, one name has already slipped from contention: Robert MacIntyre. —Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Sep. 2025

Verb

Next week’s results from five of the Magnificent Seven companies — Alphabet , Amazon , Apple , Meta Platforms and Microsoft — could keep the party going or hurt equities in a big way, depending how profits from the market’s most dominant companies shake out. —Sarah Min, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025

With two new teams, the schedule could also feature more than 44 games, depending on how the CBA shakes out. —Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 21 Oct. 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