as in to shock
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 up
Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
He was seen as an outsider being brought in to shake up the Navy.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The Dolphins fired coach Mike McDaniel in the latest NFL shake-up.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake up
Verb
In the second season, which also stars executive producer Jon Hamm, James makes his debut as Owen Ashe, a charming billionaire whose arrival quickly shakes up Westmont Village.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
He was seen as an outsider being brought in to shake up the Navy.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
But the Falcons clearly needed a major shake-up.
—Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The Dolphins fired coach Mike McDaniel in the latest NFL shake-up.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shake up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shake up
Verb
-
In 1999, the Institute of Medicine’s landmark report To Err Is Human shocked the nation by estimating that 44,000 to 98,000 Americans were dying each year from preventable medical errors.—
Joe Kiani,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The accomplishment shocked military planners everywhere.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That's a significant decline from current levels but exactly the kind of shakeout a 4x move in eight months can produce.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Both Steyer and Porter gained slightly in the post-Swalwell shakeout but Becerra’s rise is nothing less than phenomenal.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hiram Crombie is shocked and appalled that Jamie is taking the Trading Post from him and kicking him and the other men off Fraser’s Ridge?—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The proposal appalled the science community and lawmakers.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The shooting has also intensified calls by conservatives to fully fund DHS through a single bill — blaming Democrats for the shutdown and arguing that splitting apart ICE and Border Patrol funding will only give the minority party leverage.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
28 Apr. 2026
-
That means the knock-down, drag-out government shutdown battles that have become a Washington ritual are, in effect, a fight over a little more than a quarter of the federal ledger.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By the time Josh Doan scored to put the Sabres up 2-0, Bruins fans were stunned into silence while Sabres fans were celebrating all around them.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Lewis stunned Ziggy with a punch to the eye, jumped into the enclosure’s moat and escaped.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Officers established a perimeter around the 300 block of Gibson Drive, closing roadways west of the scene near Trehowell and Castaic drives, along with several side streets, the Roseville Police Department said.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
During closing arguments, Lynn Johnson, an attorney for Christine and Christopher Nolte, suggested the jury award $10 million for noneconomic damages and $5 million for economic damages.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shake up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shake%20up. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
