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
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 Feb. 2026
The underlying issues behind the shutdown are Democratic demands of new limits on ICE agents who are enforcing deportation orders and other immigration laws.
—ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Jackknifed tractor-trailers shut down Route 67 in New Milford and Route 4 in Cornwall, the DOT said.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
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Noun
That’s not the reason the shutdown stretches on.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 Feb. 2026
The underlying issues behind the shutdown are Democratic demands of new limits on ICE agents who are enforcing deportation orders and other immigration laws.
—ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
The interstate highway system was shut down for a week, along with local driving bans.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Jackknifed tractor-trailers shut down Route 67 in New Milford and Route 4 in Cornwall, the DOT said.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 23 Feb. 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 1 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shutdown
noun
shut·down
ˈshət-ˌdau̇n 
: an ending of an activity
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