shaking down

verb

present participle of shake down
as in cheating
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

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 shaking down On Thursday, Diamantis will be sentenced for crimes associated with shaking down contractors on four school building projects in three municipalities — Hartford, New Britain and and Tolland. — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026 This brainstorm is aimed at shaking down travel booking platforms. — Susan Shelley, Daily News, 13 May 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 And that’s important, especially as players age, because teams like the Dolphins seize on shaking down injured, or underperforming talent. — Miami Herald, 26 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaking down
  1. cheating
  2. squeezing
  3. stinging
  4. plucking
  5. hustling
  6. ripping off
  7. sticking
  8. beating
Verb
  • Later on, after the guests have left, this cheating convention makes Kaylee nervous.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
  • There are people out there saying that the Brewers are cheating.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheating
Verb
  • For an octopus, squeezing into tight spaces can provide an escape route and access to prey that other marine creatures cannot easily reach.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Much of the growing opposition to data centers has come from rising electricity prices, which are squeezing Americans in a time of already high prices and cost of living.
    — Shannon Osaka, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of squeezing
Verb
  • Darchiev, a veteran diplomat known for his stinging condemnations of the West, had served as ambassador to Washington since March 2025.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2026
  • On Tuesday, Americans issued a stinging rebuke of data centers at the polls.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of stinging
Verb
  • According to a case report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the doctors gave the man a topical treatment to numb his eyes and then began plucking out the worms one by one with fine forceps.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Pai Skincare Bright Now Exfoliating Toner, $49 Organic is not as simple as plucking some flowers and putting them on your face.
    — Brianna Peters, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of plucking
Verb
  • That urgency has marked Holden’s prolific output—especially the thrilling first installment of his Supreme Magnetic series in 2025 and 2022’s Joe Frog—as the Harlem rapper uses his street-hustling past to paint an autobiographical portrait.
    — Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The 30-second teaser sees Jackson hustling around town, making money and recruiting his team of crooks.
    — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hustling
Verb
  • At this point, Buckley said pieces of the aircraft likely began ripping off.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The acrobatic routine rushed to a conclusion with Johnson grabbing Shum and ripping off his tie, sending the actor crashing to the ground, convulsing, as each attempt to get up was met by his partner repeatedly shoving him down with her foot.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of ripping off
Verb
  • Using a rolling pin, roll it into a 12-inch round, lifting and rotating the dough and adding another dusting of flour as needed to keep it from sticking.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Seeds are spread to new areas along waterways and by sticking onto fur and clothing or equipment.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of sticking
Verb
  • In an equally eerie recording the brothers produced, what sounded like a rapidly beating human heart could be heard.
    — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The Celtics have navigated a tough road so far, beating other top Class 5A contenders in Kankakee and Morgan Park the last two weeks.
    — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of beating

Browse Nearby Words

shaking a leg
shaking down
shaking (off)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shaking down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaking%20down. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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