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, 19 May 2024
The Marlins posted three consecutive shutout victories twice previously in franchise history — most recently Aug. 17-19, 2005 — but no Marlins catcher had been behind the plate for all three shutouts until Nick Fortes this week.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 18 May 2024
The right-handed pitcher allowed two hits and struck out seven in six shutout innings in the Indians’ 6-1 win against Pacific Coast League champion Woodbridge in the second round.
—Dan Albano, Orange County Register, 17 May 2024
The first three games of Minnesota’s best-of-five Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinal playoff series against Toronto featured a shutout, with Toronto winning the first two games and Minnesota the third.
—Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 15 May 2024
Toreros captain Will Worthington’s game-winning RBI single in the 13th rewarded three shutout innings of relief by senior right-hander Conner Thurman.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2024
After beating the Rockies 5-0 on Monday behind Kyle Harrison’s seven shutout innings, the Giants continued to make offensive strides, and manager Bob Melvin wasn’t going to credit that to playing in a hitter-friendly, mile-high ballpark.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 8 May 2024
Kailey Dain lined a clean double to left-center to lead off the sixth, but McGinty (10-1) sandwiched two strikeouts around a tapper to the mound to preserve the shutout and lower her ERA to 0.66.
—Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2024
There was Jackson Klein of Santa Monica throwing his third no-hitter of the season in a Division 5 shutout of Nogales.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2024
Ellison said this was particularly galling, given that Banken markets his business as helpful to a community that has been shut out of the traditional home purchasing market.
—Jessica Lussenhop, ProPublica, 14 May 2024
Many other times, however, Mr. Trump has shut out the testimony around him, closing his eyes for long stretches.
—Jonah E. Bromwich, New York Times, 10 May 2024
Swift’s side argues that she was shut out of the sale of her masters in a betrayal that prevented her from bidding on the purchase.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2024
Travis Maxwell of El Dorado tried to pull off the biggest upset, shutting out No. 1 Corona for six innings.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
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
Noun
In 2013, Jack Flaherty threw the shutout in a 1-0 win over Marina at Dodger Stadium.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2024
The Marlins posted three consecutive shutout victories twice previously in franchise history — most recently Aug. 17-19, 2005 — but no Marlins catcher had been behind the plate for all three shutouts until Nick Fortes this week.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 18 May 2024
The right-handed pitcher allowed two hits and struck out seven in six shutout innings in the Indians’ 6-1 win against Pacific Coast League champion Woodbridge in the second round.
—Dan Albano, Orange County Register, 17 May 2024
The first three games of Minnesota’s best-of-five Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinal playoff series against Toronto featured a shutout, with Toronto winning the first two games and Minnesota the third.
—Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 15 May 2024
Toreros captain Will Worthington’s game-winning RBI single in the 13th rewarded three shutout innings of relief by senior right-hander Conner Thurman.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2024
After beating the Rockies 5-0 on Monday behind Kyle Harrison’s seven shutout innings, the Giants continued to make offensive strides, and manager Bob Melvin wasn’t going to credit that to playing in a hitter-friendly, mile-high ballpark.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 8 May 2024
Kailey Dain lined a clean double to left-center to lead off the sixth, but McGinty (10-1) sandwiched two strikeouts around a tapper to the mound to preserve the shutout and lower her ERA to 0.66.
—Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2024
There was Jackson Klein of Santa Monica throwing his third no-hitter of the season in a Division 5 shutout of Nogales.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
Verb
Clark scored a game-high 20 points, despite being shut out with foul trouble in the first quarter.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2024
Ellison said this was particularly galling, given that Banken markets his business as helpful to a community that has been shut out of the traditional home purchasing market.
—Jessica Lussenhop, ProPublica, 14 May 2024
Many other times, however, Mr. Trump has shut out the testimony around him, closing his eyes for long stretches.
—Jonah E. Bromwich, New York Times, 10 May 2024
Swift’s side argues that she was shut out of the sale of her masters in a betrayal that prevented her from bidding on the purchase.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2024
Travis Maxwell of El Dorado tried to pull off the biggest upset, shutting out No. 1 Corona for six innings.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
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
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 23 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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