1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

shut out 1 of 3

verb

Definition of shut outnext
as in to exclude
to prevent the participation, consideration, or inclusion of local residents feel that they have been shut out of the debate for expanding the airport

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shut out

2 of 3

adjective

as in excluded

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

shutout

3 of 3

noun

1
as in blowout

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in washout

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 out
Verb
Cleveland swept a doubleheader on Friday before being shut out Saturday. — CBS News, 6 Sep. 2026 The Rays matched a season low in hits as they were shut out for the eighth time this season. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
Sheehan pitched six shutout innings and held Miami to two hits (singles from Kyle Stowers and Heriberto Hernandez) and a walk, all of which came in the fourth inning. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2026 Boone finally broke through on a five-yard run by Max Edmunds to ensure the offense was not shutout in the game. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shut out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shut out
  1. exclude
  2. stopped
  3. blowout
  4. washout
  5. ban
  6. precluded
  7. sweep
  8. whitewash
Verb
  • The piece questions the company's focus on alternative earnings metrics excluding amortization and its squishy customer retention.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
  • That figure jumped after Friday's inflation report showed that prices remain stubbornly high and core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy, picked up in August from the previous month.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of exclude
Adjective
  • The girl with a backpack on could be seen crossing the street while looking at her phone before the stopped truck began moving beside her, in videos obtained by ABC station WPVI and CBS station KYW.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The crash drew a crowd from the stopped traffic, who quickly spread photos and videos of the driver on social media.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of stopped
Noun
  • That's why Miami has spent the first two games of the season trying to develop depth, and a pair of blowout wins have afforded the Hurricanes that luxury.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Johnson has publicly stated his preference for points and blowouts.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of blowout
Noun
  • Showers and storms return for part of the weekend, but it's not expected to be a washout.
    — Rachael Jay, CBS News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Amy and Rosie are intensely appealing women, yet their lives with men have been a washout.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of washout
Verb
  • Although fines and suspended bans have been handed out to clubs, and some boys have been frozen out of the game for months until being cleared, few transfers have ever been banned by the five-step process.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • At least 25 states are now enforcing laws or policies banning transgender women and girls from competing in at least some women’s and girls' sports and three others have adopted laws but have enforcement blocked by the courts.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of ban
Adjective
  • Over the ensuing decades—and fully informed of the substantial executive power exercised by the Commission—the Supreme Court has repeatedly and expressly left Humphrey's Executor in place, and so precluded Presidents from removing Commissioners at will.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 3 Sep. 2025
Definition of precluded
Noun
  • South Dakota also has senior RB Keyondray Jones-Logan, who can line up in the slot like a receiver or motion back inside and receive the handoff for a quick fly sweep.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Corry’s group calls on the city to conduct sweeps of Skid Row to remove all dogs who do not have adequate food, water or shelter, or who are not microchipped and spayed or neutered.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of sweep
Noun
  • The warmth offsets the cool pink-gray undertones from the whitewash, giving the room a welcoming, cocooning quality.
    — Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026
  • Just look at the initial whitewash of the Watergate scandal at Richard Nixon's library and the minimal account at Bill Clinton's library of his impeachment.
    — Susan Page, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Definition of whitewash

Browse Nearby Words

shutoffs
shut out
shutout
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shut out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shut%20out. Accessed 19 Sep. 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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
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
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All