as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the rumor is that he started his career shaking people down as an enforcer for the mob
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
as in bunk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shake down
Chris Klimek, Vulture, 24 July 2024
The apparent shakedown — and evidence definitively linking the seven 2024 shootings — have led police to investigate the possibility that the incidents are part of attempts to shake down local businesses.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2025
Steven J. Horowitz, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
Some privately have compared him to a mob boss: Tributes are required, and the shakedowns come with the full weight of the U.S. government.
—Alex Thompson, Axios, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shake down
Verb
As soon as Masa kisses his son good-bye, a man Masa has evidently come to shake down for money spots him from across the courtyard and flees.
—Chris Klimek, Vulture, 24 July 2024
The apparent shakedown — and evidence definitively linking the seven 2024 shootings — have led police to investigate the possibility that the incidents are part of attempts to shake down local businesses.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2025
Noun
Harmonies abound as Elliott and Aaliyah take turns bemoaning the wrongdoer, culminating in a double-time shakedown from Da Brat.
52.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
Some privately have compared him to a mob boss: Tributes are required, and the shakedowns come with the full weight of the U.S. government.
—Alex Thompson, Axios, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shake down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake down
Verb
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But death in the Final Destination movies has a way of coming for those who cheat their fate, and in this case, the grim reaper wants the survivors of the Skyview disaster and their blood relatives.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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Brunson ultimately aligned himself with fan-favorite LA Knight after Haliburton tried helping Paul to cheat during the match by giving him brass knuckles.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Noun
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There are 10 king bedrooms, five of which have sleeping lofts, two queen rooms, and one with bunks.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2025
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Designed to hold 40,000 inmates, including mass murderers and drug traffickers, prisoners are confined in large, windowless cages with minimal furnishings of tiered metal bunks, an open toilet, and a cement basin.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Ready to take more control of your portfolio and investment decisions with less trial and error? Don’t wait to grab lifetime access to Sterling Stock Picker, now just $55.19 (reg.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
14 May 2025
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Seeing this enormous collective enterprise take shape in real time—much of it by trial and error—was like witnessing history in reverse.—
Rachel Howard,
Travel + Leisure,
13 May 2025
Noun
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However, the Pentagon assessed in its report that the ship can launch large maritime unmanned aerial vehicles for strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
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For example, the Cooperative Institutes in Wisconsin and Colorado have developed software and methods that help meteorologists better understand the current state of tropical cyclones and forecast future intensity when aircraft reconnaissance isn’t immediately available.—
Chris Vagasky,
The Conversation,
5 May 2025
Verb
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Martinez’s son squeezed the trigger five times, shooting Rivera to death and wounding two others, the detective wrote in the affidavit.—
Matthew Ormseth,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2025
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Umberto Rispoli squeezed between horses around the top of the stretch and then rode Journalism to a tremendous rally.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
24 May 2025
Noun
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This huge cat tree features three top perches, hammocks, hidden compartments for your cats to play in and a scratching post.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2025
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Or, simply hang up a hammock and sway to the sound of the stream, songbirds and the gentle swoosh of the wind through the trees.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2025
Noun
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The test works by measuring proteins beta-amyloid and p-tau217, which are believed to be hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.—
Vanessa Etienne,
People.com,
21 May 2025
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The Cuba native, who turns 42 May 29, refused a field sobriety test and was arrested.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Opt for a challenging puzzle, word searches, strategy games, or Sudoku.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
21 May 2025
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The new product initiative extends beyond enhancing traditional search or automation, allowing users to, for example, query thousands of documents or images for instant answers, or to generate new drafts and reports from existing data.—
Melody Brue,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shake down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20down. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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