shakeout

1 of 2

noun

shake·​out ˈshāk-ˌau̇t 

1

: the failure or retrenchment of a significant number of firms in the economy or a sector or an industry that usually results in a depressed market

2

: a period or process in which the relatively weak or unessential are eliminated

shake out

2 of 2

verb

shook out; shaken out; shaking out; shakes out

intransitive verb

: to prove to be in the end : turn out

wait to see how things shake out

Synonyms

Verb

• come out
• fall out
• pan out
• prove
• turn out

Examples of shakeout in a Sentence

Verb

after hearing about all the elaborate planning, I can't wait to see how that wedding shakes out

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Does that mean a shakeout is coming for the CVC sector? —Byallie Garfinkle, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024

Xiaomi, founded in 2010, is entering an overcrowded market that analysts expect will undergo a shakeout in coming years, with weaker startups falling by the wayside. —Ken Moritsugu, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2024

Verb

Depending on how the mayor’s race shakes out, a third newcomer could also be seated at the head of the dais. —Shawn Raymundo, The Arizona Republic, 8 July 2024

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has told his worried members to hold their fire for a few days to see how things shake out, according to two people who received the message. —Leigh Ann Caldwell, Washington Post, 1 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1895, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1982, in the meaning defined above