as in plucked
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shook down
Verb
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Beaufort, North Carolina This fishing village with century-old homes, idyllic marinas, and pristine beaches could be plucked from a vintage postcard.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026 -
With its cast of characters essentially plucked from Fugard’s early life in Port Elizabeth, the play introduces Hally (a stand-in for Fugard) at a crossroads.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s the kind of corporate doublespeak that makes consumers feel cheated and disrespected.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Schiller is a man who cheated death and whose harrowing ordeal is dramatized by actor Tony Shalhoub in a recent movie.—
Troy Roberts,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sudhir Srivastava, vice president of the Noida Entrepreneurs Association, said manufacturers were being squeezed from multiple directions.—
Mayu Saini,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Bottom line Private credit’s share of overall financing in the US economy has grown, and when that growth slows or stops, small businesses with few other options get squeezed.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Many hospital systems in Connecticut have stopped suing their patients over unpaid bills, stung by criticism about the harm caused by aggressive collection tactics.—
Noam N. Levey,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
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People have reported severe reactions, including anaphylaxis, after being stung by the ant.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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During an interview with The Star on Friday, waiters hustled through the space with plates.—
Jenna Thompson
April 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
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The crowd applauded when Rahm took the bag from Garcia and started carrying it himself as caddie Adam Hayes hustled to catch up to the players.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Train 98, part of the Silver Meteor route between Miami and New York, was forced to stop near Jacksonville, leaving some passengers stuck onboard for extended periods.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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This is what a supply shortage looks like in practice — not just higher prices, but households stuck in between, unsure which path to pursue.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Davis and the other man cornered Pierre against a fence, where they were filmed beating the teen as dozens of bystanders stood by recording the attack.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
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In the first week of Q1 earnings calls, 49 companies reported results and 76% of them beat earnings estimates, according to Bank of America’s Savita Subramanian.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mechanics across the continent screwed, hammered and welded Sheila to keep her together, sometimes shaking their heads at the madness of it all.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
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Without brothers, father, I would be screwed.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Shook down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shook%20down. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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