as in upset
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
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
While Santa Margarita’s boys and girls dominated the team competitions to extend their title streaks, a few Orange County racers shook up the meet.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
Bednar also shook up his lines, moving Landeskog onto the top line with MacKinnon and Martin Nečas.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 10 May 2026
Posey shook up the roster this week by calling up catching prospect Jesús Rodríguez and top prospect Bryce Eldridge, and the 24-year-old Rodríguez got starts over Bailey on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
Spirit Airlines, the pioneering discount airline that shook up the budget travel business, is shutting down its operations.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
Reports that Saudi Arabia‘s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will stop financing the LIV Golf Tour shook up the world of sport earlier this week, and these reports were effectively confirmed yesterday afternoon.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 1 May 2026
Verb
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
While Santa Margarita’s boys and girls dominated the team competitions to extend their title streaks, a few Orange County racers shook up the meet.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
Bednar also shook up his lines, moving Landeskog onto the top line with MacKinnon and Martin Nečas.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 10 May 2026
Posey shook up the roster this week by calling up catching prospect Jesús Rodríguez and top prospect Bryce Eldridge, and the 24-year-old Rodríguez got starts over Bailey on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 May 2026
Spirit Airlines, the pioneering discount airline that shook up the budget travel business, is shutting down its operations.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
Reports that Saudi Arabia‘s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will stop financing the LIV Golf Tour shook up the world of sport earlier this week, and these reports were effectively confirmed yesterday afternoon.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shook-up
Adjective
-
Brueggmann was more than good Friday, lifting the Warriors to a 2-1 upset victory over Marist in a Class 4A state semifinal game at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
-
According to the standings, this wasn’t much of an upset.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
That shocked George, who the next year approved Parliament’s acts designed to rein in Massachusetts’ ability to govern itself.—
Laurie Kellman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
That shocked George, who the next year approved Parliament's acts designed to rein in Massachusetts' ability to govern itself.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The move is politically controversial due to Armenia’s troubled past with the two powers, but the opposition remained too fractured and scarred by association with past corruption to put up a considerable fight.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2026
-
Beyond those posts, however, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution discovered a complicated and, at times, troubled history for both the clinic and its co-founder.—
Carrie Teegardin,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Democratic lawmakers were predictably appalled by Pulte’s selection.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
2 June 2026
-
Taxpayers were rightfully appalled.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Here, Jay seemed aggrieved, almost overly intense, demonstrative with his body language and vocal inflection.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
-
Advertisement Regardless of the facts, each side views itself as the aggrieved party and the other as the aggressor, sees the stakes as too high to step back unilaterally, and treats restraint as surrender.—
Bruce Sibley,
Time,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The backlash stunned the couple.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
-
The actress stunned in a sleek black halter dress, which Faris gave some edge to with a pair of side cutouts in the frock's silhouette.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Both Jesse and Ashley were emotionally distraught and crying throughout the video.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
-
The next night, Husband arrived for his shift looking shaky and distraught and breathing heavily.—
Dan Eaton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Of course, no guest wants to dine at the home of a host whose off-putting etiquette makes everyone feel ill at ease either.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Both were a byword, too, for male beauty, fully alive to the almost laughable impact of their handsomeness, yet ill at ease, now and then, with their perches on the pedestal.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shook-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shook-up. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
