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
Relevance
1
as in bunk
Related Words
2
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shake down
Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
But in years past, many cases reviewed by CNN involved scam artists who sought to shake down immigrants for cash under threat of deportation.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
Wheeler ultimately took a 3,500-mile (5,630-km) road trip this around Iceland, by way of Germany, Denmark and Holland, as a proper shakedown for the eRC prototype.
—New Atlas, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shake down
Verb
Advertisement Considering Trump’s tendency to move the goal posts, the Japanese government and business community can be forgiven for feeling like they are being shaken down.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
But in years past, many cases reviewed by CNN involved scam artists who sought to shake down immigrants for cash under threat of deportation.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
Though cinephiles might be able to breathe a bit easier should Skydance win the day, either shakedown is turtles all the way down from a labor perspective.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
Wheeler ultimately took a 3,500-mile (5,630-km) road trip this around Iceland, by way of Germany, Denmark and Holland, as a proper shakedown for the eRC prototype.
—New Atlas, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shake down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake down
Verb
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Celia Arguerro, who also has a handicap parking permit, is tired of waiting for reform to catch people cheating the system.—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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He likely already would have been inducted were in not for his part in the Astros’ ugly cheating scandal in 2017.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This train-car-style rover, run by Natural Habitat Adventure, has private bunk rooms and observation decks to watch for the aurora and polar bears, with bear safaris by day, too.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Outside,
27 Jan. 2026
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Few things shake the confidence of a person like crawling to the top bunk of a quivering bed frame, your feet wrapping uncomfortably along the frail metal rungs of the ladder.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Its core business is semiconductor test systems, which verify that chips function properly and meet performance and durability standards before they are shipped.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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While the protocol was originally developed to demonstrate challenges that those on the autism spectrum have in recognizing the mental states of others, the test has since been widely applied as a measure of theory of mind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, an elite Danish naval unit that conducts long-range reconnaissance and enforces Danish sovereignty in the Arctic wilderness, is also stationed in Greenland.—
Danica Kirka,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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The group allegedly steals employee lists and job titles by compromising HR software platforms and conducting extensive reconnaissance on LinkedIn, said Nixon.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In any case, makers of non-AI systems could potentially be squeezed into this definition, so all software and systems developers should be mindful of whether their automation could fall into this zone.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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The loss of those supplies — and the hard currency Havana earned by reselling part of them — has further squeezed an already fragile economy.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And for those wanting to spend some time in the shade, hammocks, which the pair picked up on a trip to Colombia, are hanging from the trees to create the ultimate outdoor escape.—
Michael Gioia,
Architectural Digest,
23 Jan. 2026
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Sometimes the smallest purchases can make the biggest difference, so why not grab a pair of compression socks or a foot hammock for ultimate in-air comfort?—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Then hydrogen leaks arose during the third rehearsal, which led to NASA not only changing the way in which liquid hydrogen is loaded, but also modifying the ground umbilical plates that send power, coolant, fuel and communications to the rocket, according to Blackwell-Thompson.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The replaceable battery is suitable for long jamming sessions or rehearsals.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are amid a search for a new head coach for the first time in nearly two decades after Mike Tomlin stepped down last week.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
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The Minnesota attorney said the boy’s father had no criminal record according to a search of state records, and that the family was in the country legally.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shake down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20down. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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