Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for "shut up"
SEE ALSO:
Slang dictionary results for shut up.
Synonyms

shut up

British  

verb

  1. (tr) to prevent all access to

  2. (tr) to confine or imprison

  3. informal to cease to talk or make a noise or cause to cease to talk or make a noise: often used in commands

  4. (intr) (of horses in a race) to cease through exhaustion from maintaining a racing pace

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

shut up Idioms  
  1. Imprison, confine, enclose, as in The dog was shut up in the cellar for the night , or She shut up her memories and never talked about the past . [c. 1400]

  2. Close completely, as in The windows were shut up tightly so no rain came in . [Early 1500s] This usage also occurs in shut up shop , meaning “close the premises of a business,” as in It's late, let's shut up shop now . [Late 1500s] Also see close up , def. 3.

  3. Cause someone to stop speaking, silence someone, as in It's time someone shut him up . [Early 1800s]

  4. Stop speaking, as in I've told you what I think and now I'll shut up . This usage also occurs as a rather rude imperative, as in Shut up! You've said enough . [First half of 1800s]


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

River goes in there just hoping not to get fired, so that’s what makes him shut up and take a lot from Jackson Lamb.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

"Always has been, always will be and I will not shut up about what I know to be true."

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

In response, Ham recorded a video telling Almendarez to shut up because “no one asked your opinion” and she has no “expertise in science.”

From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026

But regardless of the private enforceability issue, the court clearly wants everyone to shut up and pretend that Callais is business as usual.

From Slate ● May 19, 2026

Vonetta told her to shut up and I told Vonetta to shut up.

From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com