shutout

1 of 2

noun

shut·​out ˈshət-ˌau̇t How to pronounce shutout (audio)
1
: a game or contest in which one side fails to score
2
: a preemptive bid in bridge

shut out

2 of 2

verb

shut out; shutting out; shuts out

transitive verb

1
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Askarov now has a record of 6-2-0 this season with two shutouts and a .949 save percentage. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024 Don’t tell Jay-Z, but Bey has never won in this category either — the fact that that 0-fer isn’t nearly as much of a point of contention as her album of the year shutout is a sign of how the latter award has become the most coveted Grammy. Paul Grein, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
While programs such as the Works Progress Administration provided a crucial source of employment, most Black workers remained largely shut out of the Social Security system and unprotected by wage and hour regulations. Ben Zdencanovic, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024 Forgotten about this Series, and just as damaging to the Dodgers as Owen’s blunder: Freddie Fitzsimmons was sailing along in Game 3, shutting out the Yankees, when the final out of the seventh — a line drive by Marius Russo — bounced off Fitzsimmons’ leg, breaking his kneecap. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shutout 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shutout was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near shutout

Cite this Entry

“Shutout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutout. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

shutout

1 of 2 noun
shut·​out ˈshət-ˌau̇t How to pronounce shutout (audio)
: a game in which one side fails to score

shut out

2 of 2 verb
ˌshət-ˈau̇t
1
: to keep something out : exclude
2
: to keep an opponent from scoring in a game

More from Merriam-Webster on shutout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!