as in to shock
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shake up
Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 May 2026
Ahead, find 10 mojito nail ideas that are guaranteed to shake up your summer manicure.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 18 May 2026
Cooper, who also hosts a news program on CNN, announced in February his plans to leave CBS, months after an internal shake-up that followed the arrival of Editor in Chief Bari Weiss.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake up
Verb
Plus, the removable lid allows for mix-ins of salty, sweet, or both to be added and shaken up easily post-pop.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 May 2026
Ahead, find 10 mojito nail ideas that are guaranteed to shake up your summer manicure.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Noun
Some of these changes are available in the current Windows Insider Preview builds in the Experimental channel (which replaced the Canary and Dev channels in Microsoft’s latest beta program shake-up).
—Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 18 May 2026
Cooper, who also hosts a news program on CNN, announced in February his plans to leave CBS, months after an internal shake-up that followed the arrival of Editor in Chief Bari Weiss.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake up
Verb
-
The Rockies scored five runs in the ninth on a three-run home run by Hunter Goodman and a walk-off, two-run homer by Ezequiel Tovar to shock the Giants in an electrifying 8-6 win at Coors Field.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
-
Fans were shocked to learn a number of details about the actors behind Briar U’s charming student body, from who their real-life partners are to the fact that lead Ella Bright grew up in London and has a British accent.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The shakeout is probably just beginning, as the impact of AI reverberates across the business funding ecosystem, from venture to private credit to public giants.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
-
This pattern defined much of the BaaS shakeout of recent years.—
Paul Davis,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Taxpayers were rightfully appalled.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
Which is why advocates are appalled.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The concept is sure to be alluring to many travelers, as snaking lines from March’s government shutdown still loom large in fliers’ collective memories and summer vacation crowds begin to throng terminals.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
The restaurant group declared bankruptcy in March of 2020, as Covid-19 shutdowns exacerbated the group’s financial troubles at the time.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Just 90 days into his premiership, Abiy, at the time only 41, stunned the world by negotiating a truce that ended a bitter 20-year civil war with neighboring Eritrea.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
-
The Spurs came out of the gates hot, quickly taking a 14-point lead, leaving the raucous Continental Coliseum crowd stunned.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
During closing arguments before the jury Tuesday, Grossman’s attorney, Esther Holm, echoed that claim.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
Keys is a quintessential New Yorker, so her documentary makes sense as the closing selection for Tribeca.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shake up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20up. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
