as in to shock
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up
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Recent Examples of shake up
Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 May 2026
Posey shook up the roster this week by calling up catching prospect Jesús Rodríguez and top prospect Bryce Eldridge, and the 24-year-old Rodríguez got starts over Bailey on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026
The San Francisco Chronicle was the first to report the Giants’ shake-up.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake up
Verb
The silver tsunami is shaking up commercial real estate after years of senior housing being the quiet corner of the market.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 May 2026
Posey shook up the roster this week by calling up catching prospect Jesús Rodríguez and top prospect Bryce Eldridge, and the 24-year-old Rodríguez got starts over Bailey on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
Noun
Sacramento-area readers are tracking a tightening governor’s race, a major downtown park proposal and a sudden radio shake-up.
—Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026
The San Francisco Chronicle was the first to report the Giants’ shake-up.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake up
Verb
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Din is shocked to discover the asset is a baby, Grogu.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
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Alexander pinned Slater for the win, completely shocking the fans in Sacramento, California.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Duffy said that as a result of a low-cost carrier like Spirit shutting down, the industry will experience a shakeout where larger carriers that provide better offers and service take complete control.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
2 May 2026
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Things apparently went well on the flight, which was a brief suborbital shakeout cruise.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
1 May 2026
Verb
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The young Forster recoiled from the school’s culture of authoritarianism and militaristic chauvinism, which may have found expression in the students’ often appalling attitudes toward their own mothers.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
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Hiram Crombie is shocked and appalled that Jamie is taking the Trading Post from him and kicking him and the other men off Fraser’s Ridge?—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The nomination signals Trump is backing away from promises to eliminate FEMA, as Hamilton joins a beleaguered agency depleted by staff departures and a 75-day DHS shutdown.—
Gabriela Aoun Angueira,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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The Transportation Security Administration lost approximately a thousand employees during the most recent partial government shutdown.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Days after the shooting stunned Shreveport, a whirlwind of police lights, camera crews and grieving relatives swarmed the neighborhood where the killings unfolded, the streets vibrating with sirens, the air shrouded in questions and disbelief.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
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The following year, a judge sentenced her to 10 years in prison on possession and drug trafficking charges – a ruling that stunned her family.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
Noun
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In some cases, that may involve flexibility around closing timelines, occupancy dates, or smaller logistical considerations that can influence how an offer is perceived in a competitive environment.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
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Borrowers will often be able to float it down before closing and, in the interim, won't need to worry about any other incremental increases.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shake up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20up. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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