shook-up 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of shook-upnext
as in upset

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

shook up

2 of 2

verb

past tense of shake up
as in shocked
to cause an unpleasant surprise for the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
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 buzzy, balls-to-the-wall sci-fi action-thriller shook up a slumbering Cannes earlier this year with a late night slot in Competition, emerging with many already declaring the 160-minute film to be a cult classic. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 9 July 2026 The visitor’s fresh perspective shook up the studio owner’s old habits. — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 July 2026 That trade instantly shook up the Eastern Conference hierarchy. — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Anthropic’s Claude comes for the scientists First AI titan Anthropic shook up the computer programming industry with Claude Code. — Sarah Todd, STAT, 1 July 2026 The collaborative troupe—made up of parts of Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross) and German-Iraqi producer Boys Noize—effectively shook up the desert with their sonic blitzkrieg that reinterpreted NIN’s songbook into a hyper-electronic fever dream. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 June 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shook-up
  1. upset
  2. shocked
  3. troubled
  4. appalled
  5. aggrieved
  6. stunned
  7. distraught
  8. ill at ease
Adjective
  • After nearly losing, in what would have been a Cinderella upset, to a completely unheralded Cabo Verde, Argentina benefitted from questionable refereeing decisions in subsequent victories over Egypt and Switzerland.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
  • Some Carowinds visitors were upset the park did not announce the roller coaster was closed sooner.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
Definition of upset
Verb
  • But Muñoz was shocked to learn that many Mexicans fear that the private collection’s future in Mexico may be in doubt.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
  • In fact, McKillips says he wouldn’t be shocked if the sport’s next breakout star first picked up a club at one of the company’s driving ranges instead of a country club.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 14 July 2026
Definition of shocked
Adjective
  • The film centers on Prabha, a troubled young man whose sudden and unexplained death triggers a ripple effect across his extended family and community.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • What To Watch For Whether Guerrero’s shooting will spur efforts to add guardrails on ICE agents, as Democratic lawmakers told the AP that Brouillette’s allegedly troubled background had exposed flaws in how the agency hires and deploys its officers.
    — Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of troubled
Verb
  • He was appalled by the slaughter, but, more than that, by the complacency of his neighbors, their willingness to ignore the bloody work being done under their noses.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • Many subjects were appalled by his treatment of his closest family.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 9 July 2026
Definition of appalled
Adjective
  • The aggrieved front-line workers also include safety and security teams, those that often embark on community outreach as well as those burying patients who died from Ebola.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
  • Yet, this World Cup offers a temporary respite for our perennially aggrieved society.
    — Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of aggrieved
Verb
  • As halftime approached and France looking stunned by the English offensive onslaught, forward Bukayo Saka scored two goals within 10 minutes to officially turn the match into something no one thought would happen – an English blowout.
    — Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • In the semifinal, however, they were outclassed, outrun, and left stunned by a Spanish team that had mastered the art of moving the ball with pace and accuracy.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 18 July 2026
Definition of stunned
Adjective
  • Claudia Morton, who lives near Durán Guerrero and his family and often waved to him, was distraught over the shooting.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 July 2026
  • On December 2, 1717, a distraught George Augustus and Caroline packed up their household and said goodbye to their children.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 9 July 2026
Definition of distraught
Adjective
  • The squad were simultaneously in awe, and ill at ease.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 17 June 2026
  • Stephenson and Howlin looked equally ill at ease.
    — Robin Muir, Vogue, 12 June 2026
Definition of ill at ease

Browse Nearby Words

shook out
shook-up
shook up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shook-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shook-up. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stalwart

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All