shakeout

1 of 2

noun

shake·​out ˈshāk-ˌau̇t How to pronounce shakeout (audio)
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

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
Now, amid a start-up shakeout, more frauds have started coming to light. Erin Griffith, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2023 Plans to build two wind farms off the coast of New Jersey were scrapped on Wednesday, the company behind them said, a blow to the state’s efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and the latest shakeout in the U.S. wind industry. Tracey Tully, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2023 This gives investors hope that Rivian could yet survive a possible shakeout in the EV industry as demand cools amid a growing affordability problem for a new vehicle that Musk himself has cited. Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2023 Many marathon runners do a two- to three-mile shakeout run. Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 3 Nov. 2023 Ambitions outside the classroom The hype has been so great that Tricia Martinez, managing director at the accelerator Techstars, says a shakeout is coming for companies using AI merely as a branding tool to attract interest. Lindsay Ellis, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2023 In recent years, the Boston Marathon weekend has become a four-day festival of non-stop running brand activations, race strategy seminars, group shakeout runs, competitive races, and a variety of athlete events. Brian Metzler, Outside Online, 10 Apr. 2023 Could the shakeout finally give SMU a shot at stepping up in conferences? Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 1 July 2022 And the shakeout in office real estate—pounded by a double whammy of high rates and low occupancy—is still to come. Alan Murray, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2023
Verb
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images WATCH Baggy Jeans, Baby Hairs, and Haute Couture: Jennifer Lopez Sounds off on Her Life in Looks The same Dune premiere saw Anya Taylor-Joy shaking out her signature peroxide lengths worthy of the early 19th century, her look inspired, in part, by her Galliano gown. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2024 No matter how the current linebacker numbers shake out during spring, this will be a position of need for the spring portal period. Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2024 Here’s how the penalties shake out for manufacturing, transporting and possessing marijuana in Idaho as of Feb. 22, 2024: Less than 3 ounces for personal use— Misdemeanor with a minimum fine of up to $1,000 and up to one year incarcerated. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 22 Feb. 2024 That’s just the way our community shakes out in the U.S. Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Yet there’s plenty of debate over who has the stronger case — the companies or the regulators — and how the battle will shake out. J.j. McCorvey, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024 Tom could become a Pro Bowl right tackle, but his versatility will give Green Bay options depending how the rest of the line eventually shakes out. Rob Reischel, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 However the upcoming season shakes out, McNoldy urged anyone located in hurricane-prone regions to do two important things. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 18 Feb. 2024 Here's how the rest of the 2024 Super Bowl MVP race shakes out nearly two weeks ahead of the big game, courtesy of BetMGM. 2024 NFL mock draft:Five QBs taken in top 12 picks? Jack McKessy, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shakeout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1895, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1982, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shakeout was in 1895

Dictionary Entries Near shakeout

Cite this Entry

“Shakeout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shakeout. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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