as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the rumor is that he started his career shaking people down as an enforcer for the mob
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in bunk
Related Words
2
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 shake down
Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Most years, the BAFTA nominations are a crucial insight for prognosticators into how Oscar nominations will shake down.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Josh Dinner, Space.com, 16 Apr. 2026
The spacecraft commander headed a team of four on the Artemis II shakedown cruise of the new Orion spacecraft, flying a trajectory that took them to the moon and then 4,700 miles beyond the lunar far side—farther from Earth than any human beings have ever ventured.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake down
Verb
The laps were completed as part of a promotional filming day, serving the dual purpose of gathering footage of the car on track, and the opportunity to shake down the car to ensure all systems are working as expected in preparation for official pre-season testing.
—Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Most years, the BAFTA nominations are a crucial insight for prognosticators into how Oscar nominations will shake down.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
Principally, Artemis 2 was a test flight of Orion's life support systems and a shakedown cruise to verify that the craft can sustain a crew during a mission to lunar space.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 16 Apr. 2026
The spacecraft commander headed a team of four on the Artemis II shakedown cruise of the new Orion spacecraft, flying a trajectory that took them to the moon and then 4,700 miles beyond the lunar far side—farther from Earth than any human beings have ever ventured.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake down
Verb
-
The reportedly yearlong relationship is notable in that, after their split in 2015, Stocking posted and deleted tweets saying the basketball player cheated, per The New York Post.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
As OutKick previously reported, Megan broke off her relationship with the NBA star last week after accusing him of cheating.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Comey, of course, calls that bunk.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Dykeman said Pedro-Francisco told him she is forced to climb up to a third-level bunk despite immense pain extending from the right side of her abdomen to her back.—
Beret Leone,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the second experiment, 22 participants completed a version of the side-stepping test designed to capture the acceleration of different body segments.—
Lindsey Leake,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
-
After a test launch in Jacksonville and Orlando, Winn-Dixie expanded its same-day Amazon delivery partnership to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The company has also introduced the MAYHEM 10 platform, expanding into electronic warfare and reconnaissance roles.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In April 2025, two Swedish fighter jets under NATO command were scrambled over the Baltic Sea to escort away a Russian reconnaissance plane that was approaching Polish airspace.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When picking your own, avoid squeezing the berries.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
-
That’s way too much time to squeeze into a mere 140 minutes.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Then Christian sits down in the hammock with Cirie, who is good with literally everyone left in the game, and says his idea is to get rid of Ozzy.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Gnarled Pequi beams, witnesses to centuries of history, run along the downstairs veranda, while wooden steps carved by Pica-pau with the moon and stars lead to the one upstairs slung with hammocks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There, the patriarch, Joseph (Colman Domingo), presses the child Michael (played with admirable musical and dramatic flair by Juliano Valdi) and four of Michael’s older brothers into rehearsal.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
At five o’clock Michael returns from a day of rehearsal, flanked by a personal bodyguard and his CBS Records chaperone and appointment-maker, Steve Manning.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Among the items seized during the search were all ballots, tabulator tapes from the scanners that tally the votes, electronic ballot images created when the ballots were counted and then recounted, and all voter rolls from the 2020 election.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Unlike the year before, when Morton’s familiarity with Campbell and the Lions earned him the job following Ben Johnson’s departure, Campbell’s latest OC search would cast a wide net.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shake down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20down. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
