shut out

Idioms  

1. 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]

2. 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.

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Example Sentences

“Asian refiners, shut out of Middle Eastern supply, are bidding aggressively for every available Atlantic Basin barrel,” she says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Now, said Otto, archaeologists once again face being shut out.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony each hit solo home runs in the fourth inning, and five relievers shut out the Dominican over the final 4⅔ innings.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

"When you close certain doors off to protect yourself, you also shut out a lot of positive things," he told BBC Radio 1's Jack Saunders.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

They also shut out the rattling noise that filled my head with warnings and admonitions—all in the voice of a guidance counselor—about where I was headed.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers