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
Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026 Known as budget reconciliation, the party-line process lets Republicans skirt the filibuster and is part of a two-step plan to end the Department of Homeland Security shutdown. —Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 23 Apr. 2026
Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026 Engineers feared that any further decline could trigger the spacecraft’s undervoltage fault protection system, which is designed to automatically shut down components to protect the probe. —Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shutdown
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
No one knows quite what to expect this year, with extreme delays, including the fall government shutdown, resulting in just six months to fundraise and plan an exhibition that typically takes more than a year and millions of dollars to organize. —Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026 Known as budget reconciliation, the party-line process lets Republicans skirt the filibuster and is part of a two-step plan to end the Department of Homeland Security shutdown. —Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
While their on-screen chemistry has sparked speculation about their off-screen relationship, both actors have repeatedly shut down rumors. —Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026 Engineers feared that any further decline could trigger the spacecraft’s undervoltage fault protection system, which is designed to automatically shut down components to protect the probe. —Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shutdown
Cite this Entry
“Shutdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/shutdown. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shutdown
noun
shut·down ˈshət-ˌdau̇n 
: an ending of an activity
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