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
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Officials have argued the government shutdown hinders the Department of Agriculture's ability to distribute additional dollars.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025
Max Tani, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
The Fechters have filed a countersuit, claiming the lawsuit is part of a broader effort to shut down the facility.
—Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
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Noun
The 2025 shutdown has occurred because Democrats want to see extensions of tax credits and continued spending on health agencies, both actions which come directly out of federal government funds.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Officials have argued the government shutdown hinders the Department of Agriculture's ability to distribute additional dollars.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
Less than 48 hours later, ICE shut down the block, barreling down Broadway against one-way traffic in armored vehicles, triggering national media attention and immediate protests.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
The Fechters have filed a countersuit, claiming the lawsuit is part of a broader effort to shut down the facility.
—Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shutdown
Cite this Entry
“Shutdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutdown. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shutdown
noun
shut·down
ˈshət-ˌdau̇n 
: an ending of an activity
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