shake-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈshāk-ˌəp 

: an act or instance of shaking up

specifically : an extensive and often drastic reorganization

shake up

2 of 2

verb

shook up; shaken up; shaking up; shakes up

transitive verb

1

obsolete : chide, scold

2

: to jar by or as if by a physical shock

the collision shook up both drivers

3

: to effect an extensive and often drastic reorganization of

Synonyms of shake-up

Verb

• shock
• appall
• stun

Examples of shake-up in a Sentence

Verb

the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Seismic shake-ups have taken place across the global trade landscape over the past year, with geopolitics and see-sawing tariff policy leading to consequences that few could have predicted. —Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 4 May 2026

In a game-changing shake-up of the eligibility rules for the non-English languagecategory, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has expanded the options for submission. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 May 2026

Verb

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

Aside from traveling for work, the actor is shaking up her routine in other ways. —Joyce Chen, Architectural Digest, 2 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1847, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shake-up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup

Kids Definition

shake-up

1 of 2 noun

ˈshā-ˌkəp

: an act or instance of shaking up

especially : a reorganization that has extreme effects

lost their jobs in an office shake-up

shake up

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)shā-ˈkəp

1

: to jar by or as if by a physical shock

the accident shook up both drivers

the news shook us up

2

: to bring about an extensive reorganization of