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shutout

American  
[shuht-out] / ˈʃʌtˌaʊt /

noun

  1. an act or instance of shutting out.

  2. the state of being shut out.

  3. Sports.

    1. a preventing of the opposite side from scoring, as in baseball.

    2. any game in which one side does not score.


shutout British  
/ ˈʃʌtˌaʊt /

noun

  1. a less common word for a lockout See lock out

  2. sport a game in which the opposing team does not score

"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

verb

  1. to keep out or exclude

  2. to conceal from sight

    we planted trees to shut out the view of the road

  3. to prevent (an opponent) from scoring

"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

Etymology

Origin of shutout

1850–55, noun use of verb phrase shut out

Vocabulary lists containing shutout

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.

Cypress 3, Villa Park 0: Drew Slevcove threw the shutout with nine strikeouts to lock up the league championship.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

Murrieta Mesa 13, Great Oak 0: Tatum Wolff hit a three-run home run and also threw five shutout innings with nine strikeouts and no walks.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

After working five shutout innings against the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this week, Soriano’s ERA now sits at a microscopic 0.24 through 37⅔ frames.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

San Fernando 1, Verdugo Hills 0: Alex Torres threw the shutout with seven strikeouts and no walks.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Game one zips by G4 like a pronghorn antelope, fast and furious, and just when we wind the corner to a record thirteen-goal shutout our goalie goes down with a, get this, broken pinkie toe.

From "Booked" by Kwame Alexander