shook-up 1 of 2

Definition of shook-upnext

shook up

2 of 2

verb

past tense of shake up

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-up
Verb
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who shook up her top team on Monday by appointing new economy and foreign affairs spokespeople, finally gets a chance to grill Burnham on Tuesday when Parliament returns from its summer break. ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 By the Monitor's Editorial Board Yoav Segalovitz, a Zionist politician from a centrist Jewish party, shook up Israeli politics on Monday. The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026 The Miami Marlins shook up their bullpen a bit on Sunday, designated for assignment veteran lefty reliever John King and recalling rookie Jack Ralston ahead of their series finale against the Washington Nationals. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2026 After the Warriors had been upset in the first round of the 1992 playoffs by Seattle despite a 55-27 record, the coach shook up the roster in an effort to take the next step toward a title. Carl Steward, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026 At the midway point, this year has already produced the most billion-dollar blockbusters since the pandemic shook up the movie theater industry. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 Revealed in January and going on sale in June, the iPhone shook up an industry that was coming to terms with online app stores and touchscreens just as Apple steamrollered in with its own vision. Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Back in June, a blockbuster trade shook up the NBA landscape when superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was sent from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat in exchange for four players, including shooting guard Tyler Herro. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 14 July 2026 The visitor’s fresh perspective shook up the studio owner’s old habits. Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shook-up
Adjective
  • An upset win would not have redefined Miami as anything but a team taking necessary steps up from the foot of a mountain.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
  • First elected in 2020 in an upset race, Raman is running close to Bass in the Mayoral polls, and has seen an uptick as the campaign has kicked into post-summer high-gear.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The body-baring, barely there costume shocked some of her fans who weren’t used to seeing so much of her flesh.
    Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Yemen’s government was shocked by slow Saudi response The Houthis have been attacking Saudi shipping on the Red Sea since declaring a blockade in July, as well as hitting oil infrastructure inside Saudi Arabia.
    Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The public reckonings with these figures’ legacies—the troubled former child star gone too soon, the beloved icon, the cult favorite, the complicated eccentric—have come in a cascade.
    Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In the last decade Germany has sheltered millions of refugees, mainly from Syria and other troubled countries in the Middle East.
    Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • While some praised Galliano’s immeasurable talent as a fashion designer, others were appalled by the choice, given his previous offenses and the rise of antisemitic attacks in New York City and internationally.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Her supporters and longtime Christian collaborators are appalled by the backlash.
    Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Schiltz added that any aggrieved teacher can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
    Riley Moser, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In a later conversation in that same episode, the women’s roles are switched — Rhaenyra is no longer the impatient interrogator but an aggrieved ruler who has no idea how to govern; Alicent is the soothing confidant offering wisdom to welcome ears.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Amal Clooney stunned in a red gown, as did Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao, fresh off delivering a master class on the Lido, went from table to table chatting with guests as dinner was served.
    Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 5 Sep. 2026
  • For those who didn't feel like giving the big UMass-Rutgers game Thursday night your time and effort, the Minutemen stunned Greg Schiano's group, 37-21, snapping a 16-game losing streak to FBS teams.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • That gave way to sadness and the responsibility of consoling distraught students.
    USA TODAY staff, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Residents would come to her distraught when repair estimates for their cooling systems topped their annual rent.
    Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Dr Hoggett’s office was in a hospital across town, a building with long corridors, low ceilings, handwashing stations and works of art that were at once innocuous and ill at ease.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The squad were simultaneously in awe, and ill at ease.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 17 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shook-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shook-up. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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