shutdown

1 of 2

noun

shut·​down ˈshət-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce shutdown (audio)
: the cessation or suspension of an operation or activity

shut down

2 of 2

verb

shut down; shutting down; shuts down

intransitive verb

: to settle so as to obscure vision : close in
the night shut down early

transitive verb

: to make ineffective in competition
shut down the opposition's offensive line

Examples of shutdown in a Sentence

Noun the shutdown of the factory the factory resumed operation after a brief shutdown for repairs
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The company’s Los Angeles refinery may face a similar fate as a San Francisco-area plant that is slated for permanent shutdown by this time next year, executives said during a conference call with investors. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025 The lawmaker pledged to continue making the case for the importance of the Department of Education despite extreme overhauls on the horizon of a complete shutdown. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
That confusion over the connection between antisemitism and the research being shut down is one element in the university's legal case against the federal government. Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 22 Apr. 2025 In 2020, Baltimore County’s school system was shut down by a cyberattack that hit all its network systems. Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shutdown

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1888, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1779, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of shutdown was in 1779

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Shutdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutdown. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

shutdown

noun
shut·​down ˈshət-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce shutdown (audio)
: an ending of an activity

More from Merriam-Webster on shutdown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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