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

He learned then that people who post extreme content often flock to new sites and flood the system until they are shut out and eventually move on to somewhere else.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

A Filipino nurse in Dubai who asked to be identified as Jane said she continues to report to work while trying to "emotionally shut out" the constant noise.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

Younger people have been largely shut out of the housing market in recent years.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

Shiffrin entered the race knowing that it was her last chance to take something away from these Games—or be shut out for a second consecutive Olympics.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

Earmuffs are not enough to shut out the fun I am missing.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari