as in upset
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as in shocked
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 shook-up
Riley Jones, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
McCaughey’s entrance shook up the race in January in what some had expected to be a two-candidate battle between Stewart and Fazio.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2026
While Santa Margarita’s boys and girls dominated the team competitions to extend their title streaks, a few Orange County racers shook up the meet.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
Bednar also shook up his lines, moving Landeskog onto the top line with MacKinnon and Martin Nečas.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 10 May 2026
Posey shook up the roster this week by calling up catching prospect Jesús Rodríguez and top prospect Bryce Eldridge, and the 24-year-old Rodríguez got starts over Bailey on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
Spirit Airlines, the pioneering discount airline that shook up the budget travel business, is shutting down its operations.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
Reports that Saudi Arabia‘s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will stop financing the LIV Golf Tour shook up the world of sport earlier this week, and these reports were effectively confirmed yesterday afternoon.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 1 May 2026
Netflix co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings, who served as CEO for 25 years and dramatically shook up the entertainment business, is leaving the streaming giant’s board of directors.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
Nike shook up its Air Max franchise in March with the introduction of the Air Liquid Max, a new model that pushes both aesthetic and technology boundaries through its unique construction.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
McCaughey’s entrance shook up the race in January in what some had expected to be a two-candidate battle between Stewart and Fazio.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2026
While Santa Margarita’s boys and girls dominated the team competitions to extend their title streaks, a few Orange County racers shook up the meet.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
Bednar also shook up his lines, moving Landeskog onto the top line with MacKinnon and Martin Nečas.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 10 May 2026
Posey shook up the roster this week by calling up catching prospect Jesús Rodríguez and top prospect Bryce Eldridge, and the 24-year-old Rodríguez got starts over Bailey on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
Spirit Airlines, the pioneering discount airline that shook up the budget travel business, is shutting down its operations.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
Reports that Saudi Arabia‘s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will stop financing the LIV Golf Tour shook up the world of sport earlier this week, and these reports were effectively confirmed yesterday afternoon.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 1 May 2026
Netflix co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings, who served as CEO for 25 years and dramatically shook up the entertainment business, is leaving the streaming giant’s board of directors.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shook-up
Adjective
-
Texas State’s Chase Mora greeted USC closer Adam Troy with a monstrous two-run home run to left field in the top of ninth, propelling the Bobcats to 5-4 upset before a crowd of 6,956.—
Jose de Jesus Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Rhodes had plenty to be upset about.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
That shocked George, who the next year approved Parliament’s acts designed to rein in Massachusetts’ ability to govern itself.—
Laurie Kellman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
That shocked George, who the next year approved Parliament's acts designed to rein in Massachusetts' ability to govern itself.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Emmanuel co-stars as Detective Doran, an officer assigned to shadow Grimes, with Greenwood playing Henry Monroe, the therapist Grimes is mandated to see, whose sessions begin to reveal the detective’s troubled past.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
-
The discoveries, announced Sunday, are part of the Egyptian government’s efforts to boost the country’s tourism industry and bring cash to the troubled economy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Democratic lawmakers were predictably appalled by Pulte’s selection.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
2 June 2026
-
Taxpayers were rightfully appalled.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Advertisement Regardless of the facts, each side views itself as the aggrieved party and the other as the aggressor, sees the stakes as too high to step back unilaterally, and treats restraint as surrender.—
Bruce Sibley,
Time,
29 May 2026
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There's cynic Kate (Fey) and her golden retriever husband Jack (Forte), even more cynical and gossipy Danny (Domingo) and his urbane husband Claude (Marco Calvani), Nick's aggrieved ex-wife Anne and his very pregnant girlfriend Ginny.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The backlash stunned the couple.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
-
The actress stunned in a sleek black halter dress, which Faris gave some edge to with a pair of side cutouts in the frock's silhouette.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
The first glimpse at Season Two picks up at that moment and reveals a distraught Julia alone with their baby.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
1 June 2026
-
The first glimpse at Season 2 picks up at that moment and reveals a distraught Julia alone with their baby.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Of course, no guest wants to dine at the home of a host whose off-putting etiquette makes everyone feel ill at ease either.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Both were a byword, too, for male beauty, fully alive to the almost laughable impact of their handsomeness, yet ill at ease, now and then, with their perches on the pedestal.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shook-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shook-up. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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