shutdown

American  

[shuht-doun] / ˈʃʌtˌdaʊn /

noun

shutdowns plural

1. a shutting down, as of a factory, school, or machine; a termination or suspension of operations, services, or business activity.

   a partial government shutdown;

   an emergency shutdown of a nuclear reactor.

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shutdown British  

/ ˈʃʌtˌdaʊn /

noun

1. 1. the closing of a factory, shop, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      shutdown costs

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verb

1. to cease or cause to cease operation

2. (tr) to close by lowering

3. (tr) (of fog) to descend and envelop

4. informal (intr; foll by on or upon) to put a stop to; clamp down on

5. (tr) to reduce the power level of (a nuclear reactor) to the lowest possible value

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• shutdowns
  plural

Etymology

Origin of shutdown

1855–60, noun use of verb phrase shut down

Example Sentences

Shutdown aside, his approval rating stands at 39% among New Yorkers, the lowest in twenty years, according to a Siena College poll.

From Salon • Nov. 14, 2025

Appeared in the October 24, 2025, print edition as 'The Ugliness After the Shutdown'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

Skepta - who had already performed earlier with grime collective Boy Better Know, returned to the stage for Shutdown, a rap classic that just so happens to sample an old Drake social media video.

From BBC • Jul. 12, 2025

Shutdown policies forced gyms to close their doors during the height of the virus crisis in 2020 and 2021, so there is pent-up demand now that society is back to normal.

From Washington Times • Jul. 17, 2023

"Main shutdown in four," Johanssen said, ", . . three . . . two . . . one . . . Shutdown."

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• closedown
• closure
• stoppage