shut down; shutting down; shuts down
: to settle so as to obscure vision : close in
the night shut down early
: 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
Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 13 Dec. 2025
That omission prompted Democrats to force a federal government shutdown for a record 43 days.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 13 Dec. 2025
CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
The Washington Commanders are playing it safe with their franchise quarterback, as Jayden Daniels has been shut down for the remaining three games of the 2025 season.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
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Noun
The incident comes amid a turbulent year for air travel, marked by high-profile safety scares including runway incursions, severe turbulence injuries, and the government shutdown worsening mounting strain on aviation systems during peak travel periods.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 13 Dec. 2025
That omission prompted Democrats to force a federal government shutdown for a record 43 days.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 13 Dec. 2025
Verb
Jayden Daniels will be shut down for the rest of the Washington Commanders' season, starting with Saturday's game against the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
—CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
The Washington Commanders are playing it safe with their franchise quarterback, as Jayden Daniels has been shut down for the remaining three games of the 2025 season.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
Cite this Entry
“Shutdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutdown. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shutdown
noun
shut·down
ˈshət-ˌdau̇n 
: an ending of an activity
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