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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shaking down
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
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
Verb
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Naumann also did Loughlin’s hair for this March outing, which marked the mother and daughters’ first red-carpet appearance together since the 2019 college admissions cheating scandal.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
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Just days before the Love Island USA Season 7 reunion aired, cheating rumors began circulating online.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Higher oil prices have sharply increased operating expenses for shipping firms, squeezing margins and forcing governments, including Hong Kong, to step in with temporary support.—
Lee Ying Shan,Emily Tan,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
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At the same time, China has rapidly expanded capacity in its drive to become more self-sufficient, contributing to a global glut of product and squeezing European companies.—
Marilen Martin,
Bloomberg,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With a stinging defeat in the rearview mirror, Charles Lee knows the task at hand for the Charlotte Hornets.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Apr. 2026
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With their long stinging tentacles, these big siphonophores do seem like the most likely suspects.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For some, working with soil evokes nostalgia for childhood summers, smelling thorny roses in bloom and plucking ripe tomatoes off the vine.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
20 Apr. 2026
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Brawley hires football coach After a months-long search, Brawley High School has hired a football coach, plucking Rick Stewart away from Calipatria.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Braves players worked on hustling first to third on a soft single to the outfield, or breaking toward home on a dribbler in the infield.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
20 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, McCutchen walked for the fourth straight game and beat out an infield single, hustling hard to first on a squibber down the third base line.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There were two more touchdown drives on Saturday with transfer running back Landon Walker ripping off a 40-yard touchdown while Pitchford added another touchdown run in the red zone.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
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Then the Red Sox offense came back to life, ripping off three straight hits and scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh on a Story RBI single and a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Durbin, which was initially ruled an inning-ending double play before being overturned after replay review.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Oil the pan Use a neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil) to prevent sticking and encourage browning.—
Li Goldstein,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
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Try sticking your head to that.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On the throw home, Williams advanced to second, beating a tag, and Brown raced home from third to score the third run.—
Matt Le Cren,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Deni Avdija had 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Blazers, who advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2021 by beating the Phoenix Suns in the Play-In Tournament.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shaking down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaking%20down. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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