shake out 1 of 2

verb

Definition of shake outnext
as in to prove
to come to be after hearing about all the elaborate planning, I can't wait to see how that wedding shakes out

Synonyms & Similar Words

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shakeout

2 of 2

noun

as in shake-up

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 out
Verb
The rest of the league is watching closely to see how the battle of payrolls shakes out. — Isaac Tellechea, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 When asked by an attendee how the race is shaking out, Chapman said while Matsui took less of the primary vote than Vang, the incumbent has some support from Republicans in the district. — Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
However, the industry recently faced a significant shakeout, with many firms collapsing amid platform crackdowns. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 The industry has weathered a brutal shakeout, with major operators merging, downsizing or shutting down entirely. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shake out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake out
  1. prove
  2. shake-up
  3. fall out
  4. shutdown
  5. closing
  6. downsizing
Verb
  • His public events have focused on his pet projects in Washington, which have proven unpopular with voters.
    — STEVEN SLOAN, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The evidence in this case has proven that Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws and policies are not a backdoor attempt to compel or control religion.
    — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of prove
Noun
  • Hours after Apple unveiled the biggest shake-up to its iPhone release cadence in seven years — including its first foldable phone — Samsung rolled out a campaign aimed squarely at iPhone loyalists.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The development provokes a leadership shake-up on both committees, prompting speculation on who will fill the spots when the next Congress opens in January.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of shake-up
Verb
  • Cerutti, 60, left his job as president of the Pinault Collection in the spring, after just 13 months, leading to questions of a falling out with its founder, French billionaire François Pinault.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Butterfly stretch Lie on your back and place the soles of your feet together, letting your knees fall out in a butterfly formation.
    — Hannah Coates, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of fall out
Noun
  • Schumer, who currently serves as minority leader, has been criticized for some of his decisions over the past couple of years, including voting with Republicans to avoid a government shutdown.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Snowden linked recent strong year-over-year gaming revenue growth to the shutdown of skill games in Pennsylvania in mid-October.
    — Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of shutdown
Noun
  • The closing lines about Cuervo Gold and the fine Colombian are the song’s most famous, for good reason.
    — Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Angela Gonzales-Torres, a fellow Democrat who started her campaign to unseat Gomez long before the ethics inquiry, said the controversy surrounding the congressman became an important factor for voters in the closing stretch.
    — Anna Liss-Roy, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of closing
Noun
  • McQueen is parting ways with creative director Seán McGirr after an uneven three-year collaboration, and amid a substantial retrenchment of the business involving layoffs and a downsizing of the retail network.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • That can include a homeowner using proceeds from the sale of another property, a retiree downsizing, an individual investor, a landlord, a developer or a company that purchases homes directly from owners.
    — Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of downsizing

Browse Nearby Words

shake (off)
shake out
shakeout
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Cite this Entry

“Shake out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20out. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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