shut; shutting
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
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
Examples of shut in a Sentence
Verb
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.
Adjective
She listened to the music with her eyes shut.
Check to make sure that all the windows are shut.
Recent Examples on the Web
Julius Cesar Trajano, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
In addition to depriving the government, the scam also hurt small businesses that needed access to government funds to avoid shutting their doors and laying off employees at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, DHS said.
—Preston Mizell , Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
If the Strait of Hormuz were to remain shut until the end of June, given its importance to oil supply, prices would need to move high enough for global demand for oil to fall, the analysts wrote.
—Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2026
But the construction of the offense was a much bigger issue than the coaching, and the failure of the Watson trade completely slammed the window shut.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shut
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
But with the waterway shut for nearly two months, Asian policymakers now have to urgently rethink their energy strategies.
—Julius Cesar Trajano, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
In addition to depriving the government, the scam also hurt small businesses that needed access to government funds to avoid shutting their doors and laying off employees at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, DHS said.
—Preston Mizell , Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The school remained closed on Tuesday and will possibly stay shut for the remainder of the week.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
If the Strait of Hormuz were to remain shut until the end of June, given its importance to oil supply, prices would need to move high enough for global demand for oil to fall, the analysts wrote.
—Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
Officers also found Cassella’s 24-year-old brother unharmed in another bedroom with the door shut, McCabe said.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2026
But the construction of the offense was a much bigger issue than the coaching, and the failure of the Watson trade completely slammed the window shut.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shut
Cite this Entry
“Shut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shut. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
