Jump to:

• 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  

[sheyk-uhp] / ˈʃeɪkˌʌp /

noun

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

---

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

---

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 .

---

Etymology

Origin of shake-up

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

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

The politically independent think tank Centre for London is calling for a radical shake-up of how the capital is run, with significantly greater powers handed to the mayor of London role.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

Joey and Jesse Buss were controversially fired in a front office shake-up that occurred less than a month after the sale was finalized.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Shares tumbled 18% on Monday, the first day of trading after the leadership shake-up.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

The S&P 500 is getting a bit of a shake-up later this week, as an operator of convenience stores joins the benchmark index.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

It seemed as if the shake-up at Plympton had shaken all the nonsense out of Lemuel Fogg.

From Ralph on the Overland Express The Trials and Triumphs of a Young Engineer by Chapman, Allen

Related Words

• disturb
• reorganize
• shock