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

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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
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
  1. shock
  2. shakeout
  3. appall
  4. shutdown
  5. stun
  6. closing
Verb
  • Back in 2024, Verstappen shocked the world with a wet-weather drive for the ages here, finishing first after starting from P17 on the grid.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Paxton attendees were shocked at the blue tsunami that engulfed the country.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of shock
Noun
  • More importantly, according to several insiders, in the midst of a shakeout that is seeing executives stay or exiting, DC heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are staying put.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The reflex sell-off after Wednesday's Federal Reserve rate hike gave the S&P 500 a momentary test of 7500, which proved a timely shakeout.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of shakeout
Verb
  • When James Kelman won the Booker Prize in 1994, the decision was met with disgust by the literary establishment, appalled by the profanity and the informality of the Glasgow drunk whose inner life the novel details.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Not only were Democrats appalled, so were many conservatives inside the beltway and beyond.
    — Frank Langfitt, NPR, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of appall
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
Verb
  • University of Central Arkansas economist Jeremy Horpedahl was stunned by Polson's productivity.
    — TODD WALLACK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • This was just one example that created plenty of confusion for viewers at home, while the home Missouri crowd was left stunned.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of stun
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

Browse Nearby Words

shakes up
shake 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 10 Nov. 2026.

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