SHAKE-UP Synonyms: 104 Similar and Opposite Words

shake up 1 of 2

verb

Definition of shake up

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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shake-up

2 of 2

noun

as in shakeout

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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

The opening of the new Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee this summer shook up the local concert scene, with some 40 shows booked there that otherwise would have hit a local arena or the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand. — Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2026 That vision quickly gets a lot more ambitious — and a lot more chaotic — as Murdoch and Larry lay out their plans for shaking up the newspaper world. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026

Noun

Following Thursday’s historic episode, the game is getting a major shake-up, with no Head of Household (HOH), Power of Veto or BB Blockbuster competitions. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 The auction house Phillips is currently going through a major executive shake-up as several high-profile senior leaders have exited the company this summer, as ARTnews reported last week. — Hok-Hang Cheung, ARTnews.com, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shake up

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake up

Verb

Keith gained notoriety for his work with superstars like Beyonce, Cardi B, Drake and Travis Scott, and his death shocked the hip-hop community.

— Deena Zaru, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
The influx of immigrants shocked this small town Lockland had for decades been home to a small population of West Africans who’d come to Ohio in the 1990s because of political and racial oppression in Mauritania.

— Claire Galofaro, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of shock

Noun

There was never a sharp shakeout, just a steady grind higher through the winter and spring before the stock found a higher gear heading into summer.

— Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
The layoffs, focused on wine screw cap operations, underscore a statewide shakeout driven by declining demand, rising costs and an oversupply of grapes that is forcing wineries to close and cut jobs.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of shakeout

Verb

Mansur, who desperately longs to be reunited with his own mother, is appalled.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s ongoing satirical series at first appalled many viewers with its resolute political incorrectness and penchant for four-letter words from the mouths of babes, and that was nowhere more evident than in Cartman himself.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of appall

Noun

Back in 2006, estimates for stopping and restarting C-17 production ranged from about $918 million to $2 billion, and that was assuming a much shorter shutdown.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
The ongoing conflict that has driven people from their homes in Iran as well as an internet shutdown and a lack of full cooperation from the two governments partially impeded the team's efforts to get information.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of shutdown

Verb

Speculation the two were romantically linked first surfaced in 2020, but by February 2021, Rodgers stunned fans by revealing he was engaged while accepting his third NFL MVP award.

— Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Lamont told reporters that he was stunned that Diamantis was able to slip through the cracks and flee to Greece.

— Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of stun

Noun

Nearly 40 public elementary schools in Orange County now enroll fewer students than needed to be financially stable, raising the specter of more school closings in a district that shuttered seven campuses in May.

— Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
Four plays after his big return, Cawthon grabbed a 15-yard TD catch to spark a 38-3 closing run.

— Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of closing

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shakes up

shake up

shake-up

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“Shake up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20up. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shake up

verb

noun

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