as in squeezes
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shakes down
The commission shakes down property owners by, say, requiring them to remove structures or give up development rights.
—
Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
Later, Tom pours vodka into a Phillies cup and watches birds flutter by at night while Robbie gets his guns ready and shakes down a trap house.
—Grace Byron, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
Later, Tom pours vodka into a Phillies cup and watches birds flutter by at night while Robbie gets his guns ready and shakes down a trap house.
—Grace Byron, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shakes down
Verb
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Even Zach Cherry squeezes plenty from his part as the dealership’s manager, who grows loudly resentful when Nate seems more emotionally invested in his biological children than coworkers.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
27 May 2026
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War squeezes African, Asian economies further The fallout of the Iran war deepened globally as countries struggled to contain the impact of rising fuel and commodity prices.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Though Lesnar rarely cheats to win, Femi isn’t going to lose clean.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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Five average players committed to protecting the middle of the ice are more effective than four great ones and one who cheats for offence.—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The loss stings even more because Tiafoe is comfortable in these moments.—
Dan Zaksheske,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
-
Monitor for irritation—discontinue any product that stings, burns or worsens symptoms.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
18 May 2026
Verb
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But the emotional gravity of this offering's deeply personal, melancholic lyrical content plucks an undeniably profound chord that uniquely separates it from the rest of his work.—
Chris Barilla,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
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The multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, who rocks an early era Maxwell ‘fro, plays drums, plucks bass, and sings about the ups and downs of love and consumerism on his new album, LK99.—
Elise Brisco,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2026
Verb
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In games like Tuesday, when that deep postseason run seems realistic, UCLA pops the ball around on offense and communicates and hustles to overcome its deficiencies on defense.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Compared to the behemoth Acela, which hustles hundreds of thousands of riders between Boston, New York City, and Washington DC each month, Amtrak's Mardi Gras line is downright petite—just two 58-seat coaches, plus a café car and a 14-seat Business Class car.—
Kara Newman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For Mills, nothing beats the unfettered connection caving has to nature.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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Getting Around Transit most definitely beats driving here.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2026
Verb
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Selfie sticks For the safety and comfort of all guests, guests may only bring selfie sticks, handheld extension poles and tripods no longer than 18 inches on board, for use in most areas.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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The step-by-step approach matters because going cold turkey rarely sticks.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 May 2026
Verb
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When the woman exits, her assailant throws her to the ground, rips off her clothes and overpowers her.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2026
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The leader of these superheroes rips off his protective visor and unleashes a catastrophic optic blast.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shakes down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shakes%20down. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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