shake up 1 of 2

verb

Definition of shake upnext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shake-up

2 of 2

noun

as in shakeout

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 up
Verb
Meanwhile, raging forest fires and a red-alert heat wave are shaking up France’s biggest national holiday, forcing the cancellation of traditional fireworks and firefighters’ balls. — ABC News, 14 July 2026 Back in June, a blockbuster trade shook up the NBA landscape when superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was sent from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat in exchange for four players, including shooting guard Tyler Herro. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 14 July 2026
Noun
The producer's departure also adds to the staffing shake-up that's been taking place at CBS under new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Verizon in particular is in need of a shake-up given its recent CEO shuffle, and creating a connectivity giant might be its ticket. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shake up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake up
  1. shock
  2. shakeout
  3. appall
  4. shutdown
  5. stun
  6. closing
Verb
  • Was the plan to shock the Front Range into action to save the transit agency?
    — The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 24 July 2026
  • At his metronomic best for a DR Congo team who nearly shocked England in the round of 32, Sadiki’s boundless energy carried over from the domestic season.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of shock
Noun
  • Citadel’s tactical trading fund also weathered a late-June shakeout in quantitative investing.
    — Yun Li, CNBC, 2 July 2026
  • The fintechs that came through the shakeout in good shape had already built compliance like a product, instead of bolting it on later.
    — Agustín Guerra, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Definition of shakeout
Verb
  • He was appalled by the slaughter, but, more than that, by the complacency of his neighbors, their willingness to ignore the bloody work being done under their noses.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • Many subjects were appalled by his treatment of his closest family.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 9 July 2026
Definition of appall
Noun
  • Headlines from around the country swirled about how the lengthy US government shutdown left local municipalities without the necessary funds to prepare for millions of people coming to the US.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries had doubled since the beginning of 2026, Reuters reported, contributing to refinery shutdowns and reduced production of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of shutdown
Verb
  • It should be noted that Hong is a former star soccer player himself and captained the 2002 South Korean national team that stunned the world by finishing in fourth place at the World Cup.
    — Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The announcement itself was unremarkable, but many were stunned to learn that the technology was fitted to 2014–2022 models, including cars with current 4G hardware.
    — Michael Harley, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026
Definition of stun
Noun
  • After a strong start to the tournament, the reigning champions teetered on the brink of elimination throughout the knockout stage, trailing Egypt and England until the closing stages, needing extra time to overcome Cape Verde and Switzerland.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Post Malone headlined the pre-match closing ceremony while Hudson performed the National Anthem.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 19 July 2026
Definition of closing

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shakes up
shake up
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Cite this Entry

“Shake up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20up. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of shake up for Spanish Speakers

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