shut down; shutting down; shuts down
: to settle so as to obscure vision : close in
the night shut down early
: to make ineffective in competition
shut down the opposition's offensive line
Examples of shutdown in a Sentence
Noun
the shutdown of the factory
the factory resumed operation after a brief shutdown for repairs
Recent Examples on the Web
Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Instead of focusing primarily on outcomes, professors and clinics should be alert to burnout appearing not only as low performance but also as perfectionism, emotional shutdown, avoidance or people-pleasing.
—Sharon A. Kuhn, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Hali Smith
june 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 June 2026
Vegas shuts down Necas Martin Necas’ playoff pedigree took time to evolve.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
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Noun
Under pressure, the government expanded access to the SIM cards to some professions during the shutdown.
—Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Instead of focusing primarily on outcomes, professors and clinics should be alert to burnout appearing not only as low performance but also as perfectionism, emotional shutdown, avoidance or people-pleasing.
—Sharon A. Kuhn, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Verb
The pool will shut down for Juneteenth and Independence Day as well as for swim meet championships on Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18.
—Hali Smith
june 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 June 2026
Vegas shuts down Necas Martin Necas’ playoff pedigree took time to evolve.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
Cite this Entry
“Shutdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutdown. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shutdown
noun
shut·down
ˈshət-ˌdau̇n 
: an ending of an activity
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