shut

verb

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\ ˈshət

shut; shutting

Definition of shut

(Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : 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

shut

adjective

Definition of shut (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : closed, fastened, or folded together

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

shut

noun

Definition of shut (Entry 3 of 3)

: the act of shutting

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about shut

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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: Verb Ten out of 14 metro lines were shut; iron gates were pulled tight over many stations; key hubs like the stations at Opéra and Montparnasse were closed. — BostonGlobe.com, "PARIS — Parisians thronged the sidewalks, took to bikes and scooters, or canceled their morning commutes altogether Friday, faced with the biggest public transportation strike in nearly 13 years — a warning shot at President Emmanuel Macron’s government over its ambitious pension overhaul plan.," 14 Sep. 2019 Neither were charged when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shut Aequitas down and filed a civil lawsuit in March 2016. — oregonlive.com, "Prosecutors’ wide net: Prominent Portland executives sucked into Aequitas criminal case," 23 Aug. 2019 Rwandan state minister for foreign affairs ministry, Olivier Nduhungirehe, told Reuters by phone that the border had been shut at Rwanda's nearest town of Gisenyi but declined to give further details. — NBC News, "Rwanda seals Congo border after third Ebola case in Goma," 1 Aug. 2019 Barriers can include a pool fence that is not climbable, a spa cover, or shutting a door that leads from a bathroom to the pool area. — Molly Hudson, azcentral, "Water-related fatalities down for 2019 in Maricopa, Pinal, Pima counties," 17 July 2019 Bill de Blasio, New York’s mayor, plans to shut Rikers by 2026 and replace it with four smaller jails near courthouses in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens. — The Economist, "A jail in Denver offers some lessons for criminal-justice reformers," 28 June 2019 Daily life was disrupted in the week and most offices, colleges, and schools were shut on Sept. 05 and on Sept. 04. — Sangeeta Tanwar, Quartz India, "Incredible scenes from India’s financial capital that’s drowning in rainwater—yet again," 5 Sep. 2019 To keep the rise in global temperatures to no more than 1.5°C relative to pre-industrial times, climatologists insist that almost all coal plants must shut by 2050, which means starting to act now. — The Economist, "Asian governments are the biggest backers of the filthiest fuel," 22 Aug. 2019 During its three seasons on Hulu, The Handmaid’s Tale has depicted all kinds of grim visuals: ritualized hangings, feet flayed with steel cables, women whose mouths have been bolted shut. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "When Women Are Accused of Complicity," 17 Aug. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective 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 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 Schools remained shut and two former chief ministers of the state were arrested. — Niha Masih, Washington Post, "Internet, mobile blackout shuts down communication with Kashmir," 6 Aug. 2019 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 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Protesters gathered, some with mouths taped shut, Wednesday in protest outside the Cape Town International Convention Centre where a meeting of the World Economic Forum on Africa was underway. — Washington Post, "South Africans rally against gender-based violence," 4 Sep. 2019 And, instead of painting her as a sad shut-in, Wild Nights With Emily rewrites Emily Dickinson (Molly Shannon) as a horny, raging poet. — Elena Nicolaou, refinery29.com, "Hear Virginia Wolf & Vita Sackville West's Love Story In Their Own Words," 24 Aug. 2019 In recent days, Jovic has been linked with a move to AC Milan, with Gazzetta dello Sport claiming the Italians have identified him as a top target going into the final days of the window, which, for Italy, shuts on August 23. — SI.com, "Luka Jovic Laughs Off Rumours of Real Madrid Loan Exit & Claims He Has Zinedine Zidane's Backing," 21 Aug. 2019 The continuing trade war with China has ensured that the case for Chinese battery giants to invest in the US remains shut. — Akshat Rathi, Quartz, "Europe is beating the US in the battery race—with China’s help," 31 July 2019 Public meetings of more than four people are banned, and schools and colleges remain shut. — Niha Masih, Washington Post, "‘Pushed to the wall’: Protests erupt in Kashmir over Indian move to end autonomy," 10 Aug. 2019 One’s tongue lolls out; the other’s mouth is zippered shut. — oregonlive.com, "How a petty fight in a wealthy neighborhood ended with a California home covered in giant emoji," 8 Aug. 2019 Baseball’s trade window shuts Wednesday afternoon — completely, not like in years past. — Ronald Blum, The Denver Post, "Arms race ahead of MLB trade window shutting Wednesday," 30 July 2019 The bird, Gonzalez admitted, was bait to lure another songbird to land on its pitfall door, which would drop the visitor into the trap and spring shut, preventing its escape. — Karine Aigner, National Geographic, "Songbirds are being snatched from Miami’s forests," 25 July 2019

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.