as in squeezes
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the rumor is that he started his career shaking people down as an enforcer for the mob
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of shakes down
Later, Tom pours vodka into a Phillies cup and watches birds flutter by at night while Robbie gets his guns ready and shakes down a trap house.
—
Grace Byron, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
Grace Byron, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shakes down
Verb
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It also gets compressed, which squeezes the air and puts even more pressure on it, which heats it up.—
Zoe Mintz,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
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As the Iran conflict disrupts energy markets and squeezes jet-fuel supplies, there is a concern that airfares could rise in the weeks ahead.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Inspired by real stories, Eva Marcille portrays a wife who miraculously cheats death after her husband’s (Tyler Lepley) betrayal in Pushed Off a Plane and Survived airing on February 28.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2026
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Blashill wants the Blackhawks to be a fast-pressure team at both ends of the rink, one that attacks vertically but never cheats for offense.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And that’s the part that stings.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
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The loss stings, but doesn’t change the outlook of TCU’s chances of contending during March Madness.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But if Rick later plucks something from behind that rock at the fire, are others going to start poking around looking for stuff?—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
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The first layer, called the Level-1 Trigger, or L1T, harvests 100,000 events per second, and the second layer, called the High-Level Trigger, or HLT, plucks 1,000 of those events to save for later analysis.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In games like Tuesday, when that deep postseason run seems realistic, UCLA pops the ball around on offense and communicates and hustles to overcome its deficiencies on defense.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Compared to the behemoth Acela, which hustles hundreds of thousands of riders between Boston, New York City, and Washington DC each month, Amtrak's Mardi Gras line is downright petite—just two 58-seat coaches, plus a café car and a 14-seat Business Class car.—
Kara Newman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There will also be a DJ serving beats the entire weekend and an invitation-only afterparty on Saturday and Sunday.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
13 Mar. 2026
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Even if adjustments become necessary later, thoughtful action beats hesitation.—
Fazila Shahid,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fuji sticks close to its playbook and delivers a camera that's simple to use, captures instant photos with the same analog aesthetic that has made Instax the instant film of choice for going on twenty years.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
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Fortunately, Swanberg’s millennial gaze never quite gives in to Gen Z cynicism, and the film sticks a satisfying landing that cements it as one of the mumblecore pioneer’s finest films.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When the woman exits, her assailant throws her to the ground, rips off her clothes and overpowers her.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2026
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The leader of these superheroes rips off his protective visor and unleashes a catastrophic optic blast.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shakes down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shakes%20down. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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