shut-in

noun

Definition of shut-innext
1
as in recluse

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in valley

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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 shut-in But those projections rest on several assumptions, including that shut-in oil production will peak in early April and transit through the Strait of Hormuz will improve. — Chad De Guzman, Time, 31 Mar. 2026 Production shut-ins Brent crude futures could climb to $135 per barrel if the current situation persists for four months, according to Janiv Shah, vice president of oil markets at Rystad Energy. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 9 Mar. 2026 Her brother, Casey (Spike Fearn), is an agoraphobic shut-in failing to confront his mounting mental-health crises. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025 That means overcoming Ella’s hostility and bridging the divide with her uncommunicative kid brother Casey (Spike Fearn), an MIT graduate who has become an agoraphobic shut-in since his breakup with beloved girlfriend Susan (Ayo Edebiri). — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shut-in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shut-in
  1. recluse
  2. valley
  3. hermit
  4. hollow
  5. homebody
  6. vale
  7. gorge
  8. glen
Noun
  • The former policeman turned recluse comes out of retirement to try to figure out whether the boy’s missing sister is still alive.
    — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Created by Rowan Joffé, the series follows Jonah Lynn (Liev Schreiber), a former homicide detective turned recluse following the death of his wife and daughter.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of recluse
Noun
  • Plans call for two large dams about 300 feet high, as well as nine smaller ones, holding water pumped from the Sacramento River and inundating about 15,000 acres in a valley northwest of Sacramento.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Finally, when the incentives for private investment still do not line up for certain projects, G-7 countries should use public capital to directly help mining companies escape the valley of death.
    — Tom Moerenhout, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of valley
Noun
  • In The Death of Robin Hood, Hugh Jackman plays the bandit of Nottingham, aged and retired to a hermit's life in the wilderness.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The hermit in me liked to stay home, the little vampire loved to step out.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of hermit
Noun
  • The Heavenly Gate rests at the top tip of the ear, just above the triangular hollow, according to Avenue Five Institute.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The hollow of its nose had been fitted with a small black cage in which the bat—his bat, their bat, his and the dog’s—was crashing around.
    — Téa Obreht, New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of hollow
Noun
  • From self-care rituals to craft kits—and, of course, some classic cozy items—there are so many fun ways to show your appreciation for your favorite homebody.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 2 Nov. 2026
  • This scrunchie and eye mask set will make the perfect gift for homebodies and frequent travelers alike.
    — Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of homebody
Noun
  • Her journey takes her to the soirées of Regency London and the peaks and vales of the Lake District, all in search of independence, self-love and reinvention.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2026
  • But Mary’s journey takes her far beyond that familiar estate — to the soirées of Regency London and the peaks and vales of the Lake District, all in search of independence, self-love and reinvention.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of vale
Noun
  • Outside, the rocky surfaces of the gorge’s walls alternate between light and shadow while the river glints in the midday sun.
    — Sarah Kuta, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026
  • For years, a leopard roamed the high mountain ridges and deep gorges in the sparsely populated region of southern Armenia.
    — Eric Niiler, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of gorge
Noun
  • Set in the modern Scottish Highlands, Laird is an epic family saga in which a proud Scot, Drummoch (Branagh), defies a shadowy American billionaire, Peter Bergstrom (Sarsgaard), hellbent on buying up the glens.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Travelers familiar with Scotland’s Isle of Skye may recognize this recipe for remote luxury, though rather than craggy cliffs and emerald-green glens, Noirmoutier is closer to a little slice of California.
    — Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of glen

Browse Nearby Words

shut-eye
shut-in
shut (in or up)
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Cite this Entry

“Shut-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shut-in. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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