shake down 1 of 2

verb

Definition of shake downnext
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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shakedown

2 of 2

noun

1
as in bunk

Related Words
2
as in test

Related Words
3
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
There was a time before the cultural shakedown of Siamese Dream (1993) and the monolithic 28-track Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995) pushed the group’s theatrical rock to near ubiquity. — David Harris, SPIN, 2 June 2026 Notably, these shakedown attempts come more than 15 years after Michael’s death, thus carrying no risk of being sued for defamation. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shake down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake down
  1. cheat
  2. bunk
  3. test
  4. reconnaissance
  5. squeeze
  6. hammock
  7. rehearsal
  8. search
Verb
  • Not to be cheated in front of the largest assembly of Hall of Famers since the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, Schwarber flew out twice to deep center field.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Princeton University dropped its over century-old Honor Code tradition which let students take their exams without supervision, after an AI cheating scandal rattled the Ivy League institution.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheat
Noun
  • The Third Wheel room features a twin bunk set up over a queen bed, while the freestanding cabins sleep up to six.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • In her bunk, Aesha tries to listen in on service on the radio.
    — Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bunk
Noun
  • There will also be test drives throughout the country and a showroom in Chicago.
    — Morgan Korn, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The positive test was identified through Fulton County's routine mosquito surveillance and testing program.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of test
Noun
  • Developed for highly mobile operations on the modern battlefield, the FV-014 combines reconnaissance, target identification and precision strike capabilities within a single system.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The hackers’ system was built using open-source AI agents to automate and coordinate much of the intrusion, including reconnaissance, credential attacks and strategizing subsequent attack paths, Dream said.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of reconnaissance
Verb
  • Cheap electric cars dominate one end of the market, Tesla occupies the premium end, and the middle is getting squeezed.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Washington is trying to choke Iran's ability to get its crude out while Tehran is squeezing the artery through which everybody else's crude gets through.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Noun
  • Chef allows young Tony to spend a night on his porch, sleeping in a rope hammock.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
  • It’s made with an extra-long, adjustable strap to adjust the hammock to a length that feels comfortable to you.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of hammock
Noun
  • The family drama follows a renowned actress who faces mounting pressure during show rehearsals when her estranged sister suddenly reappears after three decades.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Julie, this book was inspired by your real-life poodle, who famously howled along during My Fair Lady rehearsals?
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of rehearsal
Noun
  • The new safeguards include requiring law enforcement to label every search with a with a criminal case number, and instituting an automatic review for abnormal search activities, which will trigger proactive lockouts for those users.
    — Soo Youn, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • While reviewing Clancy’s cellphone records, her defense attorney pointed to multiple internet searches related to caring for and playing with children, including queries about trampolines and kids’ movies.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of search

Browse Nearby Words

shake a leg
shake down
shakedown
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shake down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20down. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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