: an act or instance of shaking up
specifically
: an extensive and often drastic reorganization
shook up; shaken up; shaking up; shakes up
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 of shake-up
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
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Nov. 2025
Tom Bergeron's departure from Dancing With the Stars remains one of the show's most surprising shake-ups.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Nov. 2025
Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025
David Tepper’s Appaloosa bought into several old-economy, industrial and financial stocks in the third quarter and shook up his technology exposure, regulatory fillings show.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shake-up
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Noun
In a big restaurant industry shake-up, Michelin has announced that Alinea, the Inn at Little Washington, and Masa will be demoted from three stars to two when the latest guides for each region are announced at the upcoming Northeast Cities ceremony.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Nov. 2025
Tom Bergeron's departure from Dancing With the Stars remains one of the show's most surprising shake-ups.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
The humble Jell-O salad and its savory ancestor, aspic, are shaking up American kitchens and even getting a glossy, fine-dining revival.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025
David Tepper’s Appaloosa bought into several old-economy, industrial and financial stocks in the third quarter and shook up his technology exposure, regulatory fillings show.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shake-up
Cite this Entry
“Shake-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shake-up. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
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