SHUTDOWNS Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

shutdowns

noun

plural of shutdown

as in cessations

the stopping of a process or activity the factory resumed operation after a brief shutdown for repairs

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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 shutdowns Meanwhile, at least two diamond mines have announced permanent shutdowns in 2026. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026 Murphy warned that once the backlog clears, Golden Week factory shutdowns will crater demand just as capacity freed by vessels returning to the faster Suez Canal routing on the back-haul flood the market. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 Recruitment efforts were complicated by government shutdowns in 2013 and 2018–2019 that froze hiring and training, along with training restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2026 Back-to-back freeway shutdowns this week paralyzed traffic across Sacramento, and transportation experts say there’s no easy fix. — Sacbee.com, 10 Sep. 2026 The fallout of the COVID-19 shutdowns and the concurrent writer and actors strikes of 2023 has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. — Justin Birnbaum, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026 The shutdowns, put in place in February, were part of an effort to give Swift more time. — Sara Hashemi, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026 Saudi authorities previously said that Houthi attacks caused temporary shutdowns at oil sites and injured 73 people early Tuesday. — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026 Researchers also identified discussions about using Tor and maintaining communications after shutdowns. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shutdowns

Noun

Temporary cessations of hostility, but no permanent closing of the moral and social divide between debtor and creditor, and no giving up on the thought that some lives matter more than others.

— Henry Freedland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

Definition of cessations

Noun

That was March 2020, when the CEOs of General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler tried to coordinate production halts over Covid-19 fears, only to be warned by their lawyers that doing so could violate antitrust rules.

— Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 17 Sep. 2026
The automatic stay halts proceedings but doesn't compel creditors to undo pre-petition filings without operative effect.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026

Definition of halts

Noun

Deadline also revealed last week that channel closures are imminent, with insiders expecting BBC Three to be moved online for a second time in a decade.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
The corset with visible boning and hook-and-eye closures defines the silhouette and looks perfect with the soft drape of the skirt.

— Madeline Dangmann, Glamour, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of closures

Noun

There is already a feeling among many supporters that the time spent poring over marginal decisions — all those interminable stoppages for calls that are going to cause dissatisfaction, whatever the outcome — is far too much.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Telemundo, for its part, went the traditional route and did not break away for sponsor messages during the mid-half stoppages.

— Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of stoppages

Noun

The product is applied to dry lengths and ends and works diligently to tame flyaways once you’re done drying.

— Valeriya Chupinina, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2026
To further test the adhesive’s stickiness, the team attached ropes to the ends of two strips of the tape, stuck the strips together, and used the setup for a tug-of-war between students and faculty.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of ends

Browse Nearby Words

shutdown

shutdowns

shut-eye

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“Shutdowns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shutdowns. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shutdowns

noun

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