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• shake-up
  shake-up

  noun

  a thorough change in a business, department, or the like, as by dismissals, demotions, etc.
• shake up
  shake up

  verb

  to shake or agitate in order to mix

shake-up

American  

[shayk-uhp] / ˈʃeɪkˌʌp /

noun

1. a thorough change in a business, department, or the like, as by dismissals, demotions, etc.

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shake up British  

verb

1. to shake or agitate in order to mix

2. to reorganize drastically

3. to stir or rouse

4. to restore the shape of (a pillow, cushion, etc)

5. informal to disturb or shock mentally or physically

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noun

1. informal a radical or drastic reorganization

shake up Idioms  

1. Agitate in order to mix or loosen, as in This cough medicine needs to be thoroughly shaken up , or Please shake up these pillows .

2. Upset greatly, as in Even though no one was hurt, he was greatly shaken up by the accident . This usage alludes to being agitated like a liquid being shaken. Also see all shook up . [Late 1800s]

3. Subject to drastic rearrangement or reorganization, as in New management was bent on shaking up each division .

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Etymology

Origin of shake-up

First recorded in 1900–05; noun use of verb phrase shake up

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Explanation

A shake-up is a major change or upheaval. If there's a shake-up on your soccer team, you might suddenly find yourself playing midfield instead of your usual position defending the goal. Whenever there's reorganization at a company, especially if lots of people lose their jobs, it's described as a shake-up. You can use this word for any similarly drastic change, like a shake-up in your morning routine after your family gets a new puppy that needs to be walked for an hour, or a shake-up in government after a major election.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shake-up shake up

S&P Global reports better-than-expected third-quarter earnings and set the stage for a potential shake-up of its financial data operations.

From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026

Some donors pulled or redirected pledges following the board shake-up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

The shake-up will herald the end of Samuelsson’s second stint as CEO of Volvo.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

Plans for a major shake-up of local government are on hold, after the government launched a review in light of new legal advice.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

We’ll soon have you at home, where you’ll be all right, and get over this shake-up in no time.”

From Cab and Caboose The Story of a Railroad Boy by Kirk Munroe

The party of incumbent presidents regularly loses seats in midterm elections, and it is common for presidents to shake up their staffs halfway through a term.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

The report focused on the "critical role" of Scotland's 32 councils in reducing poverty, noting that local government is in the early stages of a big shake up.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Powerful open model is set to shake up AI race.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

It took a lot to shake up the 48-year-old.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

It was too noisy and might shake up the atmosphere.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

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Related Words

• disturb
• reorganize
• shock

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