as in appals
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up
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Recent Examples of shakes up
His departure comes as creator Lorne Michaels shakes up the cast ahead of Season 51.
—
Peter White, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Peter White, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shakes up
shocks
Verb
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The elder Hall’s indifference toward his son’s life shocks even his captor, prompting a bonding moment that softens the viewer’s perceptions of both men.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
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Someone may step up in a way that shocks you, or someone may fade out just as quickly.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shakes up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shakes%20up. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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