shook-up 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of shook-upnext
as in upset

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shook up

2 of 2

verb

past tense of shake up
as in shocked
to cause an unpleasant surprise for the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 shook-up
Verb
The Miami Marlins shook up their bullpen a bit on Sunday, designated for assignment veteran lefty reliever John King and recalling rookie Jack Ralston ahead of their series finale against the Washington Nationals. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2026 After the Warriors had been upset in the first round of the 1992 playoffs by Seattle despite a 55-27 record, the coach shook up the roster in an effort to take the next step toward a title. — Carl Steward, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026 At the midway point, this year has already produced the most billion-dollar blockbusters since the pandemic shook up the movie theater industry. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 Revealed in January and going on sale in June, the iPhone shook up an industry that was coming to terms with online app stores and touchscreens just as Apple steamrollered in with its own vision. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Back in June, a blockbuster trade shook up the NBA landscape when superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was sent from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat in exchange for four players, including shooting guard Tyler Herro. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 14 July 2026 The visitor’s fresh perspective shook up the studio owner’s old habits. — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 July 2026 Anthropic’s Claude comes for the scientists First AI titan Anthropic shook up the computer programming industry with Claude Code. — Sarah Todd, STAT, 1 July 2026 The collaborative troupe—made up of parts of Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross) and German-Iraqi producer Boys Noize—effectively shook up the desert with their sonic blitzkrieg that reinterpreted NIN’s songbook into a hyper-electronic fever dream. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shook-up
  1. upset
  2. shocked
  3. troubled
  4. appalled
  5. aggrieved
  6. stunned
  7. distraught
  8. ill at ease
Adjective
  • Common signs that your dog may be sensitive to something in their food can include frequent scratching, paw licking, gas, loose stools, occasional digestive upset, or changes in coat quality.
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The thinking is that orbital data centers can leapfrog past some of the ground-level issues such as where to build them, and upset communities that don’t want to host data centers, despite their municipalities making deals for construction.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of upset
Verb
  • In 1974, the New York City music scene was shocked into consciousness by the violently new and raw sound of a band of misfits from Queens called the Ramones.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The family's decision to return home to Harry's home country after six years in California shocked both sides of the Atlantic, sparking a range of reactions from confusion to celebration.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocked
Adjective
  • The engaging biopic tracks Davidson's troubled upbringing to finding a way as an adult to deal with his condition and discover needed confidence.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Watching myself in the insightful new doc Boorman and the Devil, about the troubled 1977 sequel to The Exorcist, was a very strange experience.
    — Britina Cheng, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of troubled
Verb
  • Perhaps most viscerally, given the ever-present specter of nuclear annihilation during the Cold War, Capps was appalled by Falwell’s apocalyptic rhetoric and cavalier posture toward global destruction.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Plenty of adults were appalled, but punk had a powerful influence on fashion, filmmaking and graphic design as well as rock music – well beyond punk itself.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of appalled
Adjective
  • Schiltz added that any aggrieved teacher can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
    — Riley Moser, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In a later conversation in that same episode, the women’s roles are switched — Rhaenyra is no longer the impatient interrogator but an aggrieved ruler who has no idea how to govern; Alicent is the soothing confidant offering wisdom to welcome ears.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggrieved
Verb
  • Once broken, the enemy is stunned and vulnerable to a powerful, unique finisher attack.
    — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Westlake is coming off an impressive triple OT win over Newbury Park, while Agoura stunned Saugus in Week 0.
    — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of stunned
Adjective
  • But today’s Court often divides along stark ideological lines, and the liberals often sound truly distraught in their dissents.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • One distraught woman sat on the ground next to a large pool of blood as another woman embraced her.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of distraught
Adjective
  • Dr Hoggett’s office was in a hospital across town, a building with long corridors, low ceilings, handwashing stations and works of art that were at once innocuous and ill at ease.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The squad were simultaneously in awe, and ill at ease.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Definition of ill at ease

Browse Nearby Words

shook out
shook-up
shook up
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Cite this Entry

“Shook-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shook-up. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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