shut out
Idioms-
Exclude, deny entry to, block, as in Anyone convicted of a crime is shut out from the legal profession , or These curtains shut out all the light . [Late 1300s]
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Prevent an opponent from scoring, as in They were shut out of the last two games , or Reagan shut out Ford in the Texas primary in 1976. Originating in baseball about 1880, this usage was later transferred to other sports and then even broader usage.
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.
Home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf said "young British people are being shut out of entry level jobs and our whole economy is being undermined".
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
“The resolution amount reflects the harm to U.S. workers when they are shut out of applying for lucrative technology jobs,” the department said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
As labels strike deals with AI start-ups, advocacy groups warn that the artists whose voices and work make those deals valuable are being shut out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
Americans’ incomes are finally growing faster than home prices — but frustrated buyers shut out of the housing market may not notice much of a difference.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
I tried to calm my mind and shut out the sounds of the cheering fans.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
