shut·out
ˈshət-ˌau̇t 
1
: a game or contest in which one side fails to score
2
: a preemptive bid in bridge
shut out; shutting out; shuts out
1
: exclude
2
: to prevent (an opponent) from scoring in a game or contest
3
: to forestall the bidding of (bridge opponents) by making a high or preemptive bid
Synonyms
Examples of shutout in a Sentence
Noun
They beat us in a 9–0 shutout.
Verb
local residents feel that they have been shut out of the debate for expanding the airport
Recent Examples on the Web
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
One player to watch is pitcher Harley Malone, who stymied Euless Trinity with a complete game shutout on April 16.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2024
The second-year pitcher tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2024
Senior David Granger pitched a complete game shutout, striking out nine and allowing just two hits.
—Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
Holtzman then surrendered the shutout, but won, 2-1, on a two-hitter, with eight strikeouts.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Advertisement The seven shutouts away from San Diego netted five victories and two ties, while driving the second-year franchise to the league’s best road record and a first-round bye in the playoffs.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
That was evident yet again on Thursday night as the host Panthers blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-0.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves to earn what became the Panthers’ second straight shutout.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
West Ranch 1, Simi Valley 0: Jackson Banuelos struck out seven in six shutout innings.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2024
Eovaldi had been in peak form through the first six innings of the game, shutting out the Nationals on two hits through five and 1/3 innings.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 May 2024
They’ve often been tasked with fixing problems while having limited power, shut out of board meetings, paid less than their C-suite colleagues, and excluded from the executive inner circle.
—Azure Gilman, Fortune, 3 May 2024
The Giants were shut out only once previously this season on April 6 at home to the Padres.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2024
They got shut out 9-0 at home vs. Tampa Bay — getting booed frequently at Bank of America Stadium while doing so — and the week before got whipped 26-0 on the road in Jacksonville during a game in which team owner David Tepper threw a drink in the direction of Jaguars fans.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2024
Meanwhile, the Royals were shut out by Orioles starter Cole Irvin.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2024
The Dodgers lost for the fifth time in seven games — including four of six on the current homestand — and were shut out for the first time since a 9-0 loss to the Reds last July 30.
—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
That painfully long line to see T-Pain left fans shut out
The excitement that surrounded the recent addition of a T-Pain set at the Heineken House was quickly extinguished when fans wandered toward the stage only to see a massive line.
—Paul Albani-Burgio, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Noun
South Hills 5, Diamond Bar 0: Matt Moreno threw five shutout innings.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
One player to watch is pitcher Harley Malone, who stymied Euless Trinity with a complete game shutout on April 16.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2024
The second-year pitcher tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2024
Senior David Granger pitched a complete game shutout, striking out nine and allowing just two hits.
—Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
Holtzman then surrendered the shutout, but won, 2-1, on a two-hitter, with eight strikeouts.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Advertisement The seven shutouts away from San Diego netted five victories and two ties, while driving the second-year franchise to the league’s best road record and a first-round bye in the playoffs.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
That was evident yet again on Thursday night as the host Panthers blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-0.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves to earn what became the Panthers’ second straight shutout.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
West Ranch 1, Simi Valley 0: Jackson Banuelos struck out seven in six shutout innings.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Verb
Travis Maxwell of El Dorado had shut out the Panthers for six innings with one walk and no strikeouts.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2024
Eovaldi had been in peak form through the first six innings of the game, shutting out the Nationals on two hits through five and 1/3 innings.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 May 2024
They’ve often been tasked with fixing problems while having limited power, shut out of board meetings, paid less than their C-suite colleagues, and excluded from the executive inner circle.
—Azure Gilman, Fortune, 3 May 2024
The Giants were shut out only once previously this season on April 6 at home to the Padres.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2024
They got shut out 9-0 at home vs. Tampa Bay — getting booed frequently at Bank of America Stadium while doing so — and the week before got whipped 26-0 on the road in Jacksonville during a game in which team owner David Tepper threw a drink in the direction of Jaguars fans.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2024
Meanwhile, the Royals were shut out by Orioles starter Cole Irvin.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2024
The Dodgers lost for the fifth time in seven games — including four of six on the current homestand — and were shut out for the first time since a 9-0 loss to the Reds last July 30.
—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
That painfully long line to see T-Pain left fans shut out
The excitement that surrounded the recent addition of a T-Pain set at the Heineken House was quickly extinguished when fans wandered toward the stage only to see a massive line.
—Paul Albani-Burgio, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shutout.' 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 shutout
Cite this Entry
“Shutout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutout. Accessed 8 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shutout
1 of 2 noun
shut·out
ˈshət-ˌau̇t
: a game in which one side fails to score
shut out
2 of 2 verbˌshət-ˈau̇t
1
: to keep something out : exclude
2
: to keep an opponent from scoring in a game
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