shut

verb \ ˈshət \

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Examples: shut in a Sentence

Definition of shut

shut; shutting

transitive verb

1 a : to move into position to close an opening

shut the lid

b : to prevent entrance to or passage to or from

2 : to confine by or as if by enclosure

shut herself in her study

3 : to fasten with a lock or bolt

4 : to close by bringing enclosing or covering parts together

shut the eyes

5 : to cause to cease or suspend an operation or activity —often used with down

intransitive verb

1 : to close itself or become closed

flowers that shut at night

2 : to cease or suspend an operation or activity —often used with down

See shut defined for English-language learners

See shut defined for kids

Examples of shut in a Sentence

He shut his eyes and went to sleep.
She shut the book loudly.
I accidentally shut the door on her fingers.
flowers that shut at night
The door shut slowly behind me.
The owner is shutting the pub for the weekend.
They plan to shut the factory by the end of the year.

Recent Examples of shut from the Web

Golan attempted to shut Zaiman down and vented his days-long frustration.

— abraham riesman, Daily Intelligencer, "Can the young activists of IfNotNow change the conversation about Israel and the Palestinians, or will their contradictions hold them back?," 12 July 2018
District Nine Supervisor Hillary Ronen plans to introduce legislation Tuesday aiming to shut that loophole.

— trisha thadani, SFChronicle.com, "Supervisor moves to strengthen renter protections in San Francisco," 10 July 2018
Crockett said the company is planning to shut the troublesome plant and expand its Anthem treatment facility and build yet another in the Copper Basin community.

— ryan randazzo, azcentral, "Water taps dry, sewers overflow as Johnson Utilities owner faces bribery trial," 28 June 2018
Wildlife Watch reported on this incongruous situation in April 2017, about six months after Animals Asia began a campaign to shut the circus down.

— National Geographic, "UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Drops Monkey Circus," 21 June 2018
Officials are waiting for Atlanta Gas Light crews to shut the gas off and repair the line.

— fleming smith, ajc, "BREAKING: Gas line break leads to evacuations, lane closures in DeKalb," 21 June 2018
Sedaris ignored her, turned to a nearby security guard and asked him to shut the door.

— eliana dockterman, Time, "Shopping for the Perfect Shirt With Writer David Sedaris," 13 June 2018
As 200 spectators watched in horror, Parkhurst was killed when Sharrow rammed her car through a metal gate that Parkhurst was desperately trying to shut to protect others, according to police.

— brian macquarrie, BostonGlobe.com, "Killed Maine grandfather’s past and present come together in tragic collision," 12 June 2018
According to Johnson, residents have to keep their windows shut year-round, and even then, the smell can come into their homes.

— emily k. coleman, Lake County News-Sun, "With lawsuits already filed over Zion landfill odor, residents wary of possible expansion," 7 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of shut

Middle English shetten, shutten, from Old English scyttan; akin to Middle Dutch schutten to shut in, Old English scēotan to shoot — more at shoot

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

shut Synonyms

shut

adjective

Definition of shut

1 : closed, fastened, or folded together

2 : rid, clear, free —usually used with of

See shut defined for English-language learners

Examples of shut in a Sentence

She listened to the music with her eyes shut.
Check to make sure that all the windows are shut.

Recent Examples of shut from the Web

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommended bond trading close at 2 p.m. ET and remain shut Wednesday, while U.S. stock trading ended at 1 p.m. ET.

— akane otani, WSJ, "Treasurys Strengthen Ahead of July 4 Holiday," 3 July 2018
Many restaurants remain shut during daylight hours.

— kamakshi ayyar, Time, "Your Complete Guide to Ramadan, Including the Proper Greeting and When It Starts," 15 May 2018
Many buildings remain shut or under reconstruction, especially in the Roma and La Condesa neighborhoods.

— christopher reynolds, latimes.com, "Savor Puebla, a Mexican gem known for its food and sense of style," 18 Mar. 2018
Rachel Lindsay took full advantage of the Fantasy Suite on The Bachelor … to catch up on some shut eye.

— stephanie petit, PEOPLE.com, "Rachel Lindsay Didn't Have Sex with Nick Viall in the Fantasy Suite ... Because of Donald Trump," 7 Feb. 2018
Others remain shut to deal with damage and lack of water.

— tim johnson, miamiherald, "Puerto Rico economy at ‘a near standstill’ | Miami Herald," 10 Oct. 2017
Many assume that schools will remain shut for months.

— tim johnson, miamiherald, "In Puerto Rico, frustrated parents wonder when schools will reopen. It may be a while," 2 Oct. 2017
Some refineries remain shut or are running at reduced capacity, and gasoline prices have soared.

— clifford krauss, New York Times, "We Lived Through a Flood. Now We Have a Very Long To-Do List.," 8 Sep. 2017
Motorists across Texas and the rest of the United States can expect to pay 5 to 15 cents a gallon more at the pumps, as refineries in Houston and other parts of South Texas remain shut down.

— gordon dickson, star-telegram, "Gas prices already rising and likely to go higher thanks to Harvey," 28 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of shut

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

shut

noun

Definition of shut

: the act of shutting

Recent Examples of shut from the Web

The January transfer window has slammed shut, and plenty of damage has been done.

— avi creditor, SI.com, "January Transfer Window's Biggest Winners," 1 Feb. 2018
The wreck has forced the shut-down of an eastbound shoulder and left lane of the East Freeway, according to Houston Transtar.

— jay r. jordan, Houston Chronicle, "HPD: 18-wheeler falls from Eastex Freeway onto East Freeway," 23 Jan. 2018
The convenience of a large opening does come with a trade-off, however: OtterBox had to add buckles to hold down the extra material at either end when the duffel is zipped shut.

— emily reed, Outside Online, "Testing OtterBox’s New Yampa Drybag Duffel," 12 July 2018
An insect of indiscriminate taste had bitten her, and the aftermath was a left eye that was swollen shut and the size of a tennis ball.

— steve meyer, Anchorage Daily News, "Even with one bad eye, Alaska’s Barren Islands are a sight to behold," 13 June 2018
Then, Biscayne Times reports, a chandelier crashed to the floor and three of Cliff's cats were killed after a gate suddenly slammed shut.

— danielle tullo, House Beautiful, "Miami's Most Haunted House Is for Sale for Nearly $5 Million," 13 June 2018
Even the two large flues on the rooftop where the smoke and flame could have vented out were boarded shut.

— francine uenuma, Smithsonian, "The Iroquois Theater Disaster Killed Hundreds and Changed Fire Safety Forever," 12 June 2018
Outside of training, those doors have sealed shut only once before: September 11, 2001.

— scott mclean, CNN, "Inside the mountain base still on alert to North Korea's missile threat," 11 May 2018
If a woman makes a bad movie, or does something stupid, then the door just slams shut.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "25 Celebrity Women on Gender Inequality in Hollywood," 8 Mar. 2017

First Known Use of shut

1667

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SHUT Defined for English Language Learners

shut

verb

Definition of shut for English Language Learners

: to close (something)
: to become closed
: to stop the services or activities of (a business, school, etc.) for a period of time or forever

shut

adjective

Definition of shut for English Language Learners

: not open
: not operating or open to the public

SHUT Defined for Kids

shut

verb \ ˈshət \

Definition of shut for Students

shut; shutting

1 : to close or become closed

She shut the book loudly.

The door shuts by itself.

2 : to stop or cause to stop operation

She shut down the computer.

Shut off the TV.

3 : to confine by or as if by enclosing or by blocking the way out

Guards shut the thieves in a jail cell.

4 : to close by bringing parts together

Don't look! Shut your eyes!

— shut out

1 : to keep (something) from entering

Curtains shut out the sun.

2 : to keep (an opponent) from scoring in a game

— shut up

: to stop talking

Learn More about shut

See words that rhyme with shut Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shut Spanish Central: Translation of shut Nglish: Translation of shut for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of shut for Arabic speakers

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shut

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shut

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SHUT Defined for English Language Learners

shut

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shut

Definition of shut for English Language Learners

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