shut; shutting
1
a
: to move into position to close an opening
shut the lid
b
: to prevent entrance to or passage to or from
2
: to confine by or as if by enclosure
shut herself in her study
3
: to fasten with a lock or bolt
4
: to close by bringing enclosing or covering parts together
shut the eyes
5
: to cause to cease or suspend an operation or activity
—often used with down
1
: to close itself or become closed
flowers that shut at night
2
: to cease or suspend an operation or activity
—often used with down
Synonyms
Examples of shut in a Sentence
Verb
He shut his eyes and went to sleep.
She shut the book loudly.
I accidentally shut the door on her fingers.
flowers that shut at night
The door shut slowly behind me.
The owner is shutting the pub for the weekend.
They plan to shut the factory by the end of the year.
Adjective
She listened to the music with her eyes shut.
Check to make sure that all the windows are shut.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 27 June 2024
The Champs-Élysées — between the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe — is partly closed now, and it will be fully shut for the Games, allowing tourists to walk without fear of the notorious Parisian traffic.
—Keir Simmons, NBC News, 26 June 2024
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2024
Meanwhile, one of the biggest ports on the eastern seaboard remains shut, depriving suppliers of a major route for consumer goods, including automobiles, that normally accounts for 4,900 trucks and billions of dollars of trade daily.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 28 Mar. 2024
Xander Peters, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024
Vladimir Putin’s invasions and territorial expansions have slammed that window shut.
—Fiona Hill, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2022
See all Example Sentences for shut 
Verb
But after Hamas launched its deadly terror attack from Gaza on October 7, Israel shut the borders, in general only allowing foreigners and a few hundred of the most seriously wounded to leave.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 27 June 2024
The Champs-Élysées — between the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe — is partly closed now, and it will be fully shut for the Games, allowing tourists to walk without fear of the notorious Parisian traffic.
—Keir Simmons, NBC News, 26 June 2024
Adjective
The chute has now been welded shut, Scott-Miller said.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2024
Meanwhile, one of the biggest ports on the eastern seaboard remains shut, depriving suppliers of a major route for consumer goods, including automobiles, that normally accounts for 4,900 trucks and billions of dollars of trade daily.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 28 Mar. 2024
Noun
During a storm, these gates will slide or swing shut.
—Xander Peters, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024
Vladimir Putin’s invasions and territorial expansions have slammed that window shut.
—Fiona Hill, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2022
See all Example Sentences for shut
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shut.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near shut
Cite this Entry
“Shut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shut. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share