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
TikTok has asked a federal appeals court to block enforcement of a law that could lead to its shutdown until the Supreme Court reviews the case. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024 Make sure your computer isn't overheating Computer overheating is a common cause of intermittent shutdowns and crashes. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
In 2022, four days after Russia invaded Ukraine, the authorities shut down the group International Memorial, which had been founded in the late ’80s by the former dissident Andrei Sakharov and others to monitor political imprisonment and preserve memories of Stalinist terror. Leon Aron, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024 In the current Congress, Republicans struggled to pass even the bare minimum of legislation and regularly needed to turn to Democrats to pass spending bills required to keep the government from shutting down. Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Dec. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near shutdown

shut down

shutdown

shute

Cite this Entry

“Shutdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutdown. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

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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