Thesaurus results for SHAKEDOWN

shake down 1 of 2

verb

Definition of shake down

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

Relevance

shakedown

2 of 2

noun

as in bunk

Related Words

as in test

Related Words

as in reconnaissance

Related 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 down

Verb

Will the agency adopt the model of personal injury attorneys and serial plaintiffs who have abused the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Unruh Civil Rights Act to shake down unsuspecting business owners for purely technical violations of the law? — Adam Summers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 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

Noun

Feng expects the razor-thin margins to lead to a market shakedown, consolidating China's fragmented EV market into seven or eight major players by 2030. — Matthew Tan,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 20 July 2026 Following her successful sea trials in the North Sea, Pa’lante is currently departing the Netherlands for her shakedown cruise. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shake down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake down

Verb

Some of the common concerns addressed by the guidance include the privacy of student data being input into AI systems, the potential for cheating and emphasis on human input and verification.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
In an atmosphere of uncertainty—and given prevailing concerns about students using AI to cheat—such bans would seem to make some sense.

— Sian Leah Beilock, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of cheat

Noun

Two-thirds of the building had been converted into sleeping barracks, with double-decker bunks crowded one against the other.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026
The Los Angeles Police Department released a video that shows officers at the Valley jail manhandle an uncooperative inmate who died after he was left handcuffed with a bag over his head while laying prone on the bunk in his cell.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of bunk

Noun

However, that is not the case for specialty ambulatory settings, particularly procedural fields like orthopedics, namely laterality, precise description of special tests, range-of-motion findings, procedure details and clear return-visit plans.

— Pat Williams, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
How the tests actually work Most biological aging clocks rely on a process called DNA methylation.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of test

Noun

China has invested in cutting-edge intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (collectively known as ISR), as well as electronic warfare systems, drones, and missiles.

— HOLMES LIAO, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026
Beijing allegedly uses the information to further its position in territorial disputes and provide maritime reconnaissance and early-warning indications of foreign military targets.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of reconnaissance

Verb

Oil prices, meanwhile, continued to climb as fighting in the Middle East keeps squeezing the global flow of crude.

— Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
The price for a barrel of Brent crude went above $109 on Monday morning as fighting in the Middle East keeps squeezing the global flow of oil.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of squeeze

Noun

For a calm spot to kick your feet up in a hammock and get lost in a good read, there’s quiet Little Deadman’s beach.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
The private pool and patio was the perfect place for parents to take a mid-day dip during nap time and hammock hanging over a tiny plot of sand provided hours of fun for little ones.

— Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of hammock

Noun

Prospective clients should ask whether a reputation firm monitors these responses and how AI search fits into its broader approach.

— Scott Keever, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
The bodies of six passengers and 108 people were rescued Sunday by search teams, which increased to 655 personnel on Monday, said National Search and Rescue Agency chief Mohammad Syafii.

— IMAN SATRIA, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of search

Browse Nearby Words

shake a leg

shake down

shakedown

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Shake down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20down. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of shake down

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

facsimile

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes