as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the rumor is that he started his career shaking people down as an enforcer for the mob
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
as in bunk
Related Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shake down
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Cipriani followed this script in his effort to shake down Jeff Shell.
—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
16 Mar. 2026
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Inspired by mishaps on an Alaskan adventure of their own, and the sliding top-over-bottom action of hat and match boxes, the Halls started building their prototype in 1953 and took it for an official Alaskan shakedown in 1957.
—
New Atlas,
21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake down
Verb
The city hired a second firm to represent Watts, as the city was legally responsible for covering legal judgments against him despite his federal prison sentence for shaking down a drug courier.
—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Cipriani followed this script in his effort to shake down Jeff Shell.
—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
Previous versions of the script depicted the case against the singer as being a shakedown, according to The New York Times.
—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Inspired by mishaps on an Alaskan adventure of their own, and the sliding top-over-bottom action of hat and match boxes, the Halls started building their prototype in 1953 and took it for an official Alaskan shakedown in 1957.
—
New Atlas,
21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake down
Verb
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The fans were cheated Sunday out of a chance to see an interesting pitching matchup between Shota Imanaga and Dylan Cease, the former Cubs farmhand and former White Sox pitcher.
-
For example, a spouse who catches their partner cheating and kills someone in the heat of emotion.
Noun
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The kitchen is sleek and fully equipped for feeding a crowd, and the sleeping arrangements strike that rare balance between elevated and practical—proper suites for the adults and a bunk room that kids will immediately claim.
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This meant that men and women couldn't share beds, and the girls would have to bunk with one another.
Noun
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While some attribute layoffs to post-pandemic corrections, not solely AI, the true test is whether these leaner structures can effectively foster internal leadership development.
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The three-judge panel found that Connecticut's ban is consistent with the country's historical tradition of firearms regulation, applying a new test for reviewing the constitutionality of gun laws that the Supreme Court set out in 2022.
Noun
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The Barracuda class is designed to perform a wide range of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, land-attack operations, and special forces support.
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Its Russian captain allegedly acted on Russian intelligence and a Russian corvette ran reconnaissance.
Verb
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As artificial intelligence transforms the job market and rising living costs squeeze family budgets, the University of California system is making the case that its degrees remain valuable investments.
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Breweries may not have the budget or staff to create art and with rising costs squeezing small businesses, many breweries started to feature obvious generative AI art prominently as a way to talk about events or create content.
Noun
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But Wright was relaxing in a hammock when those words came to him; Thomson, in the stiff upholstery of the multiplex, is worse off.
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The parking lot of a pharmacy turned into a makeshift shelter with tarps, hammocks and tents.
Noun
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In footage shared by attorney and independent journalist Aaron Parnas on Thursday, a group of young dancers were nearly crushed when a large panel plummeted to the stage during a live performance or rehearsal.
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Knowing the show is a heavy lift, Ross came into rehearsals with the script already memorized.
Noun
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Williams was hired last February after the city conducted a national search to replace Chavarria.
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The other ice cream brands with the highest search interest after Halo Top were Cold Stone Creamery, Breyers, Talenti and Häagen Dazs, according to the Innerbody Research report.
Cite this Entry
“Shake down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20down. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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