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
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2026
Greene also criticized Republican leadership over the recent federal government shutdown, saying the GOP needed a plan to deal with expiring health insurance subsidies that will affect more than 20 million Americans.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
Then, just as payments were set to begin again, the government shut down, and the lawyers were not included in the list of essential personnel whose fees would continue to be paid.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
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Noun
The Air Force revealed that the traditional cold refueling for UH-60 helicopters can take up to 75 minutes, including shutdown procedures and system checks.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2026
Greene also criticized Republican leadership over the recent federal government shutdown, saying the GOP needed a plan to deal with expiring health insurance subsidies that will affect more than 20 million Americans.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
Three teenage boys have died after a two-vehicle crash Monday night on North Federal Highway in Pompano Beach, forcing the roadway to shut down as investigators worked the scene, authorities said.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
Then, just as payments were set to begin again, the government shut down, and the lawyers were not included in the list of essential personnel whose fees would continue to be paid.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
Cite this Entry
“Shutdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutdown. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shutdown
noun
shut·down
ˈshət-ˌdau̇n 
: an ending of an activity
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