shutting up

verb

present participle of shut up
1
as in drying up
to stop talking you have no right to tell the rest of us to shut up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shushing
to stop the noise or speech of nothing I said would shut them up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 shutting up Georgia Tech won its game with undefeated Duke by (ahem) shutting up and getting better during the bye week. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Talk is cheap, but today the automaker put up instead of shutting up by revealing a new Nissan Z concept with a factory T-top, a feature that vanished from sports cars over two decades ago. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 23 Sep. 2026 The audience is there in the flesh, shutting up and paying attention to your talent. — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 The core Mom skills — listening, caring, advising; maybe a little nagging, maybe shutting up — never go away. — Andre Mouchard, Daily News, 9 May 2026 And this team is taking a particular delight in shutting up and shutting down their rivals. — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026 Sky News is shutting up shop on its dedicated business show after more than a decade. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shutting up
  1. drying up
  2. shushing
  3. clamming up
  4. silencing
  5. hushing
  6. muting
  7. piping down
  8. settling
Verb
  • Qatar is largely offline now because of the Iran war, and more of Australia’s offshore gas fields are drying up.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • This would be best done in late May and early June when the leaves are drying up.
    — Dr. Matthew Lisy, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of drying up
Verb
  • Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim went to 3-0 for the week with a crowd-shushing rally from 2 down to a 2-and-1 victory over Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Trae Young won Madison Square Garden’s undying enmity in the 2021 playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks, punctuating game-breaking shots by shushing the crowd or bowing to the fans and waving goodbye.
    — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Definition of shushing
Verb
  • Less sweat-trapping than many synthetic jackets, the Oreus kept me from clamming up while ski-touring in five-degree temps and dissipated sweat quickly when worn after strenuous climbs.
    — Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of clamming up
Verb
  • Mookie Betts drove a fly ball to the warning track, momentarily silencing the crowd, until Mitchell closed his glove around it.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Rights groups have, however, accused the country of sportswashing to cover up its reputation for silencing critics, including accusations of killings and disappearances, allegations the government denies.
    — Damian Zane, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of silencing
Verb
  • Nelson remembers hushing her foster children back to sleep that night and calling 911, anxious for an end to those sleepless nights.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
  • If you’re used to traditional decluttering strategies that focus on sorting and purging, house hushing might feel strange.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 July 2026
Definition of hushing
Verb
  • The Broncos’ defense will produce two takeaways, muting 14 receptions by the Rams’ tight ends and running backs.
    — Sam Jane, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Among several solutions such as time limits and muting notifications during certain hours, the changes include giving teens the option to choose to view a non-algorithmic social media feed that isn’t personalized.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of muting
Verb
  • The Softstreme Classic-fit High-rise Joggers have piping down the front that creates a more elevated look, while deep pockets and a comfortable, flat waistband lend themselves to comfort and practicality.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of piping down
Verb
  • Worthy settling in is an encouraging development for the Chiefs, especially with Rice potentially returning as soon as next week.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026
  • By 1968, Mitchell moved to Los Angeles, settling in Laurel Canyon, which was becoming a hub for singer-songwriters including David Crosby, Graham Nash and others.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of settling

Browse Nearby Words

shutting out
shutting up
shut up
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Cite this Entry

“Shutting up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shutting%20up. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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