: an act or instance of shaking up
specifically
: an extensive and often drastic reorganization
shook up; shaken up; shaking up; shakes up
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
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
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
Charlotte’s changing grocery store scene Store expansions continue to shake-up where Charlotte supermarket customers shop.
—Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2024
The hiring of Suleyman is a key admission that something wasn’t working out with the Windows and AI shake-up from six months ago.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 28 Mar. 2024
The political shake-up addressed widespread international pressure as well as broad apathy and discontent with the Palestinian Authority, which was set up after the 1993 Oslo accords to administer the Palestinian territories.
—Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
The settlement followed a conspicuous leadership shake-up at the district.
—J. Edward Moreno, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Related The decision to raise Tak to co-CEO is SM Entertainment’s latest move to restructure its corporate governance following a shake-up in 2023 during which Kakao Corp. and Kakao Entertainment took a 40% stake in the company.
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2024
Along with that shake-up, Boeing’s head of commercial planes, Stan Deal, is retiring immediately, and its chairman, Larry Kellner, will not stand for reelection.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024
As part of the unexpected leadership shake-up, Amanda Kelso, who has served on the institute’s board of trustees for four years, has been named acting CEO, taking over the reins from Vicente after just two and a half years in the role.
—Josh Rottenberg, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024
With features from some of today’s hottest new Country music stars, Bey shook up the Country status quo and possibly the future of the Country music charts.
—Rivea Ruff, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
This discovery that dogs can understand words in a way similar to humans shakes up our views on language’s uniqueness.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The plot twist came when an unexpected guest made a surprise appearance, shaking up their adventure in the best way possible.
—Ronnie Li, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024
Legislators in Vermont are considering shaking up the state board that drafts hunting and fishing rules — by adding members who don’t hunt or fish.
—Jenna Russell, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
El Dorado, their sophomore album, instantly shook up the music in Colombia with its mix of punk energy and distinctly Latin-American sounds: Afro-Colombian rhythms, folk undercurrents, and a ranchera for good measure.
—Beverly Bryan, SPIN, 14 Mar. 2024
His departure from the House before the end of his term will shake up the chamber’s partisan breakdown, where Republicans have only a very narrow majority.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024
After all, Doda delivered herself here to shimmy topless, and in being the first to do so, shook up 1960s culture as well.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Noun
Someone who’s part of the old regime is the wrong choice for delivering the jarring shake-up required.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
Charlotte’s changing grocery store scene Store expansions continue to shake-up where Charlotte supermarket customers shop.
—Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2024
The hiring of Suleyman is a key admission that something wasn’t working out with the Windows and AI shake-up from six months ago.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 28 Mar. 2024
The political shake-up addressed widespread international pressure as well as broad apathy and discontent with the Palestinian Authority, which was set up after the 1993 Oslo accords to administer the Palestinian territories.
—Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
The settlement followed a conspicuous leadership shake-up at the district.
—J. Edward Moreno, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Related The decision to raise Tak to co-CEO is SM Entertainment’s latest move to restructure its corporate governance following a shake-up in 2023 during which Kakao Corp. and Kakao Entertainment took a 40% stake in the company.
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2024
Along with that shake-up, Boeing’s head of commercial planes, Stan Deal, is retiring immediately, and its chairman, Larry Kellner, will not stand for reelection.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024
As part of the unexpected leadership shake-up, Amanda Kelso, who has served on the institute’s board of trustees for four years, has been named acting CEO, taking over the reins from Vicente after just two and a half years in the role.
—Josh Rottenberg, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Verb
Bob Iger His antagonist Peltz, a corporate raider who previously led campaigns to shake up PepsiCo, P&G, and Wendy’s, has been agitating for Disney to shift its approach for several years.
—Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024
With features from some of today’s hottest new Country music stars, Bey shook up the Country status quo and possibly the future of the Country music charts.
—Rivea Ruff, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
This discovery that dogs can understand words in a way similar to humans shakes up our views on language’s uniqueness.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The plot twist came when an unexpected guest made a surprise appearance, shaking up their adventure in the best way possible.
—Ronnie Li, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024
Legislators in Vermont are considering shaking up the state board that drafts hunting and fishing rules — by adding members who don’t hunt or fish.
—Jenna Russell, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
El Dorado, their sophomore album, instantly shook up the music in Colombia with its mix of punk energy and distinctly Latin-American sounds: Afro-Colombian rhythms, folk undercurrents, and a ranchera for good measure.
—Beverly Bryan, SPIN, 14 Mar. 2024
His departure from the House before the end of his term will shake up the chamber’s partisan breakdown, where Republicans have only a very narrow majority.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024
After all, Doda delivered herself here to shimmy topless, and in being the first to do so, shook up 1960s culture as well.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shake-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near shake-up
Cite this Entry
“Shake-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shake-up. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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