as in cheated
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
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Recent Examples of shaken down
Law firms are shaken down into submission.
—
Christopher Bouzy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Christopher Bouzy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaken down
Verb
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Teddy, specifically, has also cheated death on the series several times.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Indigenous people have been cheated through laws such as are operated in Nigeria today.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some parents feel squeezed when gifted assets significantly appreciate, according to Robert Westley of Northern Trust.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Higher gas prices can also hurt sales inside the gas stations, if customers who are being squeezed at the pump spend less on other things.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Our guide in Moscow, Tanya, was a middle-aged woman who wore thick glasses plucked from a swiveling Optika stand at a Metro station.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Somberness, as well as anger and sadness, color the majority of the songs plucked from Springsteen's vast catalog to underscore the reason for this 20-date tour.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Santos stung a volley from outside the box midway through the second half after juggling the ball with her knee, but Silkowitz dived to her right to push the ball wide of the post.—
Michael Nowels,
Mercury News,
5 Apr. 2026
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Anyone who is stung repeatedly or has trouble breathing should call 911.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Luke Keaschall hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning and four Minnesota relievers combined for four scoreless innings as the Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 7-3 on a frigid Monday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists, and the Denver Nuggets rallied from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 137-132 in overtime on Monday night.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s come just as the Edmonton Oilers have ripped off a season-best five straight victories to usurp the Ducks’ position atop the Pacific.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
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First United has been rebuilding in the year following the microburst that ripped off a section of the 100-year-old sanctuary roof in the early hours of March 15, 2025.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The average commuter spends 63 hours a year stuck in traffic.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The suspect was stuck in the shoulder while a stray bullet grazed a sleeping 71-year-old in a near by home.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Soto will have imaging done Saturday, manager Carlos Mendoza said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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But without the push from one world to the other, the work could never begin, much less get done.—
Jed Perl,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shaken down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaken%20down. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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