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
The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Predictably, the war has shaken up the already unstable Middle East and driven oil prices skyward.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
That shake-up was on display within days of starting.
—Brian Womack, Dallas Morning News, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake up
Verb
Men’s | Women’s McNeese, VCU and High Point could surprise on the men’s side, while Nebraska could shake up the women’s bracket.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Predictably, the war has shaken up the already unstable Middle East and driven oil prices skyward.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
For some teams, that involves a shake-up in the coaching staff and front office.
—Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
That shake-up was on display within days of starting.
—Brian Womack, Dallas Morning News, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake up
Verb
-
Freddy Valle, a resident, says many were shocked by the notice.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The recent news that a former athletic trainer at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale had been arrested and charged with murder has shocked some students.—
Abigail Min,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The question is whether this is a black eye for the whole industry or a shakeout that boosts better managers and kills off the sloppy ones.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
24 Mar. 2026
-
But private equity firms risk cannibalizing their own businesses and accelerating the software-as-a-service, or SaaS, shakeout that’s already underway.—
Deirdre Bosa,Jasmine Wu,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When the Mach-E hit the scene, plenty of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle purists were appalled by the idea that Ford would badge an EV as a Mustang.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
-
As a relative newcomer to San Diego, I am appalled by the condition of the main roads in this city.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Travel disruptions deepened Tuesday as senators raced to salvage a proposal to end the Homeland Security shutdown by funding much of the department, including airport workers going without pay, but excluding immigration operations that have been core to the dispute.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Hundreds of millions of people, and entire industries, from the Persian Gulf to Asia, have been affected by industry shutdowns, rising food and heating costs stemming from higher energy prices, and fuel shortages.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The second came when UConn stunned Duke on that last-second 3-point shot to upset the Blue Devils in the Elite Eight.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Tony-award-winning actor John Kani said he was stunned when the theatre's founders Barney Simon and Mannie Manim first told him their vision.—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Krispy Kreme received approximately $90 million, including $50 million in cash at closing.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The company said a closing sale will start on Thursday with up to 30% off all merchandise.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shake up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20up. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
