shook down

verb

past tense of shake down
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

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 shook down Bernthal played the real-life Baltimore policeman Wayne Jenkins, who led a crew of officers who shook down people for cash and drugs. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shook down
  1. plucked
  2. cheated
  3. squeezed
  4. stung
  5. hustled
  6. stuck
  7. beat
  8. screwed
Verb
  • But for guests seeking deeper immersion in nature, the wildflower garden with more than 200 plant species looks like it was plucked straight from a fairy tale.
    — Brian Cicioni, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Muir swivel chair in oxblood velvet feels plucked out of a Hollywood Regency–style boutique hotel lobby.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of plucked
Verb
  • The Times has interviewed more than a dozen clients and investors who said they were cheated by Holdo.
    — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The rest of us just got the surface, but who could feel cheated?
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheated
Verb
  • Add in Braxton Berrios, the Giants’ punt returner and backup slot receiver, and that squeezed Slayton out.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Independent designers, once a discovery engine, were being squeezed, while the biggest brands put more investment into their own stores, creating a dichotomy in experiences that Bron felt was palpable.
    — Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of squeezed
Verb
  • And the harsh reviews from her fellow breakers weren’t even what stung Gunn the most.
    — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • As a young Black woman, the betrayal stung as much as a rejection by any guy.
    — Sarah Jones, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of stung
Verb
  • His play-by-play recall might mention the runner who hustled to beat out a double play or the pitchers who kept it close in the later innings.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Facing questions about a totally different set of Piker comments, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hustled into an elevator.
    — Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hustled
Verb
  • Stolen bases often come less from beating a catcher’s throw and more from taking advantage of a pitcher who is either slow to the plate or stuck in a predictable delivery.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • That might have sounded like blasphemy just half a decade ago, but college football is always evolving, and Swinney is a man stuck in time.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of stuck
Verb
  • Jake Burger homered twice and Ezequiel Duran had his 12th game this season with at least three hits as Texas rallied from two four-run deficits to beat Tampa Bay.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Watson was at the center of one of Week 1’s biggest upsets as the Minutemen won at Rutgers to break a 16-game losing streak and beat an FBS opponent for the first time since 2023.
    — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of beat
Verb
  • My husband recently screwed over his business partner by taking significantly more of the profit for himself.
    — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The hardest physical part was actually taking down the old blinds, which had been screwed tightly into the window frame years prior.
    — Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of screwed

Browse Nearby Words

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

Cite this Entry

“Shook down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shook%20down. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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