shaken down

verb

past participle of shake down
as in cheated
to rob by the use of trickery or threats the rumor is that he started his career shaking people down as an enforcer for the mob

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shaken down Law firms are shaken down into submission. — Christopher Bouzy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaken down
  1. cheated
  2. squeezed
  3. plucked
  4. stung
  5. beaten
  6. ripped off
  7. stuck
  8. done
Verb
  • The rest of us just got the surface, but who could feel cheated?
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Child safety advocates and some parents have welcomed age restrictions, while privacy groups say the rules can be cheated and that forcing users to supply identification raises privacy concerns.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheated
Verb
  • America’s aging farmers have been holding on to machinery for longer than usual as low crop prices and rising costs squeezed their finances.
    — Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Officials said the bears appeared to have squeezed through a 1-foot-wide opening in the concrete structure (likely seeking water during hot, humid weather) and then couldn’t get back out.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeezed
Verb
  • But for guests seeking deeper immersion in nature, the wildflower garden with more than 200 plant species looks like it was plucked straight from a fairy tale.
    — Brian Cicioni, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Muir swivel chair in oxblood velvet feels plucked out of a Hollywood Regency–style boutique hotel lobby.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of plucked
Verb
  • And the harsh reviews from her fellow breakers weren’t even what stung Gunn the most.
    — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • As a young Black woman, the betrayal stung as much as a rejection by any guy.
    — Sarah Jones, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of stung
Verb
  • Ross beat Secker by less than three dozen votes to become the GOP candidate in the House contest in Missouri’s 161st District.
    — Ava Kelley, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Stream in the tahini mixture and beat until the batter is emulsified and creamy, 1 or 2 minutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of beaten
Verb
  • Williams ripped off a 49-yard kickoff return in the first preseason game, and that matched his tape from last year.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike many of the other outlets that have shamelessly ripped off this feature without acknowledgment, THR waits until voting has closed before sharing any ballots and views.
    — HollywoodReporter, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of ripped off
Verb
  • After being stuck open in the rain, fans cheered when the roof closed.
    — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Kohl’s decided in 2016 to close one of its big box stores in Roswell, but no one knew the building’s fate would be stuck in purgatory for the next decade.
    — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of stuck
Verb
  • Drivers can criticize its lack of a V6 engine option, but its turbo four-cylinder and available hybrid powertrain get the job done.
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • But before her death, Christine Moore wasn’t convinced a thorough enough job had been done.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of done

Browse Nearby Words

shaken a leg
shaken down
shaken (off)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shaken down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaken%20down. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All