as in appalling
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
the news that we had failed the auto inspection shook us up
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Recent Examples of shaking up
That was the 1960s, and Fernandes says the arts have since settled into a kind of routine that needs shaking up.
—
Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
The Rockies certainly need shaking up.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Those changes are shaking up Centene’s core businesses.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
The shooting sent the two to the hospital, shaking up the community residing near the center.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
The first is that, as noted, Vancouver behaved with a clear and consistent direction in cleaning out veteran players, clearing the books and shaking up a locker room mix that has consistently underachieved this decade.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Producer Fortes, founder of Fiascocrafts, also emphasizes the goal of shaking up conventions through a female lens.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 4 Mar. 2026
Merck is shaking up the leadership of its main pharmaceutical unit as the drugmaker braces for sales pressure later this decade, The Wall Street Journal reports.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 23 Feb. 2026
Democrats are shaking up their campaign against the GOP’s 2025 tax cuts.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
The Rockies certainly need shaking up.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Those changes are shaking up Centene’s core businesses.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
The shooting sent the two to the hospital, shaking up the community residing near the center.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
The first is that, as noted, Vancouver behaved with a clear and consistent direction in cleaning out veteran players, clearing the books and shaking up a locker room mix that has consistently underachieved this decade.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Producer Fortes, founder of Fiascocrafts, also emphasizes the goal of shaking up conventions through a female lens.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 4 Mar. 2026
Merck is shaking up the leadership of its main pharmaceutical unit as the drugmaker braces for sales pressure later this decade, The Wall Street Journal reports.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 23 Feb. 2026
Democrats are shaking up their campaign against the GOP’s 2025 tax cuts.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaking up
Verb
-
Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Truly appalling friend counsel here from Mindy.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
He’s involved in a war of monumental proportions that’s shocking the globe.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Here in Eruemukohwarien, a few individual villagers climb over the perimeter sandbags in order to place their cassava, laid out on bamboo trays, in shocking proximity to the 30-foot fireball.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shaking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaking%20up. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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