as in appalling
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up
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Recent Examples of shaking up
By evening, disruptive Uranus enters your 8th House of Intimacy and Shared Resources, shaking up trust, finances, and private agreements.
—
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
This season of Rock the Block is shaking up its usual nail-biting, competition format by pairing HGTV stars with celebrities who are equally passionate about design.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Global hedge funds, pressured by the conflict in Iran, are shaking up their trading strategies.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 7 Apr. 2026
At the same time, Apple is shaking up the iPhone’s yearly release schedule.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
That was the 1960s, and Fernandes says the arts have since settled into a kind of routine that needs shaking up.
—Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
The Rockies certainly need shaking up.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Those changes are shaking up Centene’s core businesses.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
The shooting sent the two to the hospital, shaking up the community residing near the center.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
This season of Rock the Block is shaking up its usual nail-biting, competition format by pairing HGTV stars with celebrities who are equally passionate about design.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Global hedge funds, pressured by the conflict in Iran, are shaking up their trading strategies.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 7 Apr. 2026
At the same time, Apple is shaking up the iPhone’s yearly release schedule.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
That was the 1960s, and Fernandes says the arts have since settled into a kind of routine that needs shaking up.
—Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
The Rockies certainly need shaking up.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Those changes are shaking up Centene’s core businesses.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
The shooting sent the two to the hospital, shaking up the community residing near the center.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaking up
Verb
-
Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
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Truly appalling friend counsel here from Mindy.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Trade shocking shades like neon green and chartreuse for timeless shades of green that inspire a rejuvenating feel in the morning and a calming atmosphere in the evening.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Apr. 2026
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The payments were introduced following a 2024 assassination attempt on Fico, who was shot and gravely wounded at a pre-election event, shocking the small country and reverberating across Europe.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shaking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaking%20up. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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