as in upset
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as in shocked
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shook-up
Spin Staff,
SPIN,
1 June 2026
Nike shook up its Air Max franchise in March with the introduction of the Air Liquid Max, a new model that pushes both aesthetic and technology boundaries through its unique construction.
—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
20 May 2026
McCaughey’s entrance shook up the race in January in what some had expected to be a two-candidate battle between Stewart and Fazio.
—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
While Santa Margarita’s boys and girls dominated the team competitions to extend their title streaks, a few Orange County racers shook up the meet.
—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
Bednar also shook up his lines, moving Landeskog onto the top line with MacKinnon and Martin Nečas.
—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Posey shook up the roster this week by calling up catching prospect Jesús Rodríguez and top prospect Bryce Eldridge, and the 24-year-old Rodríguez got starts over Bailey on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
9 May 2026
Spirit Airlines, the pioneering discount airline that shook up the budget travel business, is shutting down its operations.
—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
Reports that Saudi Arabia‘s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will stop financing the LIV Golf Tour shook up the world of sport earlier this week, and these reports were effectively confirmed yesterday afternoon.
—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
1 May 2026
Verb
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
Nike shook up its Air Max franchise in March with the introduction of the Air Liquid Max, a new model that pushes both aesthetic and technology boundaries through its unique construction.
—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
20 May 2026
McCaughey’s entrance shook up the race in January in what some had expected to be a two-candidate battle between Stewart and Fazio.
—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
While Santa Margarita’s boys and girls dominated the team competitions to extend their title streaks, a few Orange County racers shook up the meet.
—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
Bednar also shook up his lines, moving Landeskog onto the top line with MacKinnon and Martin Nečas.
—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Posey shook up the roster this week by calling up catching prospect Jesús Rodríguez and top prospect Bryce Eldridge, and the 24-year-old Rodríguez got starts over Bailey on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
9 May 2026
Spirit Airlines, the pioneering discount airline that shook up the budget travel business, is shutting down its operations.
—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
Reports that Saudi Arabia‘s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will stop financing the LIV Golf Tour shook up the world of sport earlier this week, and these reports were effectively confirmed yesterday afternoon.
—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shook-up
Adjective
-
Play was held up after some upset fans threw things onto the field after the controversial offside call.
-
Usually, when the USMNT enters the knockout stage in the World Cup, they’re considered the underdogs, hoping to be scrappy to force an upset.
Verb
-
The exact same thing happened back in 2018 when Hirving Lozano shocked Germany.
-
No More Mega Deals In late 2023, the Los Angeles Dodgers shocked the world by signing the game’s best player, Shohei Ohtani, to a ten-year, $700 million contract.
Adjective
-
The movie follows Gugino as a grieving woman who takes in her troubled nephew, but their lives are upended when an otherworldly entity begins hunting him.
-
Seeking a fresh start, Ellie moves into a house on Delaney Row hoping to leave her troubled past behind, only to discover that her new home is steeped in dark secrets and unsettling mysteries.
Verb
-
Seated beside Rosado on Wednesday, Lopez appeared appalled at what had transpired in recent weeks.
-
Democratic lawmakers were predictably appalled by Pulte’s selection.
Adjective
-
As if the arc of history just naturally bends towards justice without aggrieved people putting pressure on it.
-
When early goals by both teams were denied by offside calls, the aggrieved fans jeered and whistled — the equivalent of Chiefs fans booing pass interference against their guy.
Verb
-
The against-all-odds survival narrative stunned even veteran first responders.
-
In it, Gomez stunned in a sleeveless lace dress with a halter neck and a long mesh veil.
Adjective
-
In fact, when a distraught Tom Hayward suddenly reappears, a content Mary is strolling in a local park on her own.
-
Her son was too distraught to speak on Sunday.
Adjective
-
The squad were simultaneously in awe, and ill at ease.
-
Stephenson and Howlin looked equally ill at ease.
Cite this Entry
“Shook-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shook-up. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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