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

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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
  • Hell may hath no fury like a Red Devils squad feeling cheated after the shocking FIFA decision to allow Balogun to play tonight in Seattle.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Billups is accused of participating in a conspiracy to fix high-stakes card games tied to La Cosa Nostra organized crime families that cheated unsuspecting gamblers out of at least $7 million.
    — Ed White, Twin Cities, 29 June 2026
Definition of cheated
Verb
  • Since their relationship became public in 2023, the couple has squeezed romance into tour schedules, football obligations and rare breaks from two of the most demanding careers in entertainment and sports.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Minerals are not the only sector that have been squeezed as result of the fuel crunch stemming from the Iran war; regular consumers are seeing prices at the petrol pump and supermarkets rise as well.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of squeezed
Verb
  • On the walls, black-and-white printouts of newspaper articles, magazines and book pages looked like they were plucked from a Pinterest board on scrapbooking.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Despite his young age, the then 36-year-old was far from a nobody plucked from the ether, though.
    — Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of plucked
Verb
  • Democrats are still stung by Rogan’s nearly three-hour Trump interview in the final weeks of the 2024 campaign.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • Having dominated most of his players in table tennis over the years, Gadowsky is still stung after meeting his match.
    — John Wawrow, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
Definition of stung
Verb
  • The United States, down a man for the final 36 minutes of the match, hung on to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
    — Matias J. Ocner, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
  • Match or beat the previous Atlas on capability, build it with a fraction of the complexity, at higher reliability and lower cost.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of beaten
Verb
  • Younger fans ripped off their shirts and sprayed water bottles before a band emerged from the smoke of the Bayfront Park stage, playing Argentine music in celebration.
    — Delia Sauer, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
  • One guy had ripped off the horn from a plastic Viking helmet and was using it to chug beers.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
Definition of ripped off
Verb
  • Twenty-seven people were inside the building, two of whom got stuck before ultimately freeing themselves and exiting the building.
    — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • When the rope broke, three people fell 30 to 40 feet to the beach, and the other three were stuck halfway up the cliff.
    — Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
Definition of stuck
Verb
  • Tolbert accomplished a feat done just three times in the modern era.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2026
  • As of right now, the case for Monsignor Buh is awaiting confirmation to proceed with the second step, which is the investigation done into the figure’s life.
    — Vivian Wilson, Twin Cities, 8 July 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 8 Jul. 2026.

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