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
Tammy Mutasa, CBS News, 11 June 2026
He is credited with shaking up modern photography with narrative forms often told like a comic strip, supplemented with his own, often poetic, handwritten captions and titles.
—Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 11 June 2026
Adam Reiss, NBC news, 28 May 2026
Allegri will now depart alongside sporting director Igli Tare, chief executive Giorgio Furlani and technical director Geoffrey Moncada in a radical shake-up of the top of the club.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake up
Verb
The kids were not hurt but they were shaken up.
—Tammy Mutasa, CBS News, 11 June 2026
He is credited with shaking up modern photography with narrative forms often told like a comic strip, supplemented with his own, often poetic, handwritten captions and titles.
—Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 11 June 2026
Noun
The moves are part of Weiss’ sweeping shake-up of the storied program, created by the legendary producer Don Hewitt.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 28 May 2026
Allegri will now depart alongside sporting director Igli Tare, chief executive Giorgio Furlani and technical director Geoffrey Moncada in a radical shake-up of the top of the club.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake up
Verb
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And here's why Mitch Albom says we can't be shocked anymore by Moore's firing.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
11 Dec. 2025
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The shooting left the Newark community shocked and outraged.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
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After last week’s industrywide sell-off, the question is whether AI stocks broadly are heading for a long downturn or just needed a shakeout to get rid of excessive optimism.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
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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
Verb
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Democratic lawmakers were predictably appalled by Pulte’s selection.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
2 June 2026
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The in-studio audience appeared equally appalled by Consuelos' line of questioning.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
Noun
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The Hurricanes’ combination of shutdown center Jordan Staal and defenseman Jaccob Slavin completely nullified Vegas’ top players.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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But the shutdown at Pearl and the economic pressure to prioritize diesel over lubricants are both expected to continue into next year.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Ruffy stunned Chandler with a spinning back kick then landed a short right that dropped his opponent.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
15 June 2026
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Brazil, meanwhile, had to battle back after Morocco stunned them with a goal before the first hydration break.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Or, the full amount can be applied to the down payment only, with no closing-cost assistance.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
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There has been no formal announcement or explanation from the international brand, but the closing was reported by South Beach Buzz on Instagram, and Google also notes the restaurant is permanently closed.—
Connie Ogle
June 10,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shake up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20up. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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