shutdown

1 of 2

noun

shut·​down ˈshət-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce shutdown (audio)
Synonyms of shutdownnext
: the cessation or suspension of an operation or activity

shut down

2 of 2

verb

shut down; shutting down; shuts down

intransitive verb

: to settle so as to obscure vision : close in
the night shut down early

transitive verb

: to make ineffective in competition
shut down the opposition's offensive line

Synonyms

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

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
Noun
Computer shutdown is 'like the Stone Ages' One physician told the Free Press that Ascension isn't being transparent enough about the depths of the problems this ransomware attack has caused, and patients don't understand the far-reaching implications. —Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 21 May 2024 Locations across 21 states were impacted by the shutdowns. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 20 May 2024
Verb
Rubio’s filed for bankruptcy protection in October 2020, The Mercury News reported at the time, and has been shutting down restaurants ever since. —Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 4 June 2024 While not all of them have panned out—the HoloLens mixed-reality headset, for example, was effectively shut down last year—one big wager has: generative AI. —Fortune Editors, Fortune, 4 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for shutdown 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shutdown.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1888, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1779, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of shutdown was in 1779

Dictionary Entries Near shutdown

shut away

shutdown

shut down

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Shutdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutdown. Accessed 8 Jun. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

shutdown

noun
shut·​down ˈshət-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce shutdown (audio)
: an ending of an activity

More from Merriam-Webster on shutdown

Nglish: Translation of shutdown for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of shutdown for Arabic Speakers

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 All

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

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Absent Letters That Are Heard Anyway
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

The Words of the Week - June 7

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

9 Superb Owl Words

10 Words for Lesser-Known Games and Sports

Etymologies for Every Day of the Week
See All

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 Word Game 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?
Missing Letter A crossword with a twist
winning words from the national spelling bee logo
Spelling Bee Quiz Can you outdo past winners of the National Spelli...