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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Elsewhere on the ruby red carpet, Greta Lee paid homage to beloved cowgirl, Jessie, brought to life by Joan Cusack in all five films, wearing a red and white spherical, one-shoulder gown plucked straight from the Christian Dior spring 2026 couture runway.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
10 June 2026 -
Either way, what ancient musicians realized is that changing the length of a string also changed its vibration when plucked, which in turn changed the musical pitch.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
10 June 2026
Verb
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People are robbed, assaulted and cheated.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
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That does not prove every student cheated.—
Gerald Bradshaw,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Profits are squeezed because of the RAM crisis and Samsung has responded with price increases and weaker deals.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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As the fans beyond it jumped to their feet with their hands raised, Reynolds reached over and squeezed his glove shut around what would have been the go-ahead home run.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Drivers stung by high gas prices have enjoyed some welcome relief over recent weeks, however, even as the impact of the Iran war continues to choke off oil supply.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
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The Rays stung with two outs again in the sixth.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
Verb
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As bankers hustled behind closed doors to price the deal and reporters indicated a first price of as high as $175, SpaceX perp-traders on Hyperliquid were buying and selling futures as high as $180 around the opening bell and as low as $153 just before the first trade came in at $150.—
Oliver Renick,
CNBC,
15 June 2026
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The apparent charade lasted more than a minute before Wittman removed the phone from his face and hustled ahead of the reporter, ignoring questions the whole time.—
Joseph Konig,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Everyone can relate to a character waiting for a phone call, or a text, that feeling of being stuck in a purgatorial gap that won’t end until the other person has made contact.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
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Outside the arena, reactions were mixed after Trump waved through his tinted window to the crowds stuck behind the barricades across the street.—
Dan Adler,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
Verb
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The score was still 3-1 after 20 minutes, but Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb beat Bussi with a shot from the circles that crossed the goal line a fraction of a second after the clock hit zero.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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The Carolina Hurricanes have evened up the Stanley Cup Final once more thanks to Jordan Staal’s two-goal night in Las Vegas to beat the Golden Knights in Game 4, 5-3.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
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For the employees, such as my previous career as a film composer, we are screwed.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
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Anybody who has too long a résumé is screwed.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
21 May 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 16 Jun. 2026.
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