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
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
Robert Clark, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2025
Agoura 4, Rio Mesa 3: The Chargers (2-0) got four shutout innings from pitcher Cooper Stutler.
Moorpark 1, Culver City 0: Ronan O’Connell threw six shutout innings and Blake Guy got the save in a game that took just one hour, 42 minutes to complete.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
Barbara Rodriguez and Kate Sosin, Them, 10 Mar. 2025
Finally, the team was 0-5-1 in its previous six games and had been shut out 4-0 in back-to-back games prior to the trade, so things were headed in the wrong direction.
—Jeremy Rutherford, The Athletic, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shutout
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
Oviedo 6, Lyman 1 Buzz: Brody Challis homered for Oviedo, while Henry Alarcon threw 5 shutout innings allowing 2 hits to earn the win.
—Robert Clark, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2025
Agoura 4, Rio Mesa 3: The Chargers (2-0) got four shutout innings from pitcher Cooper Stutler.
Moorpark 1, Culver City 0: Ronan O’Connell threw six shutout innings and Blake Guy got the save in a game that took just one hour, 42 minutes to complete.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
Verb
Intersex advocates say that they have been shut out of the conversations about gender and health, even as a recent executive order has far-reaching consequences for intersex kids.
March 10, 2025
This post originally appeared on The 19th.
—Barbara Rodriguez and Kate Sosin, Them, 10 Mar. 2025
Finally, the team was 0-5-1 in its previous six games and had been shut out 4-0 in back-to-back games prior to the trade, so things were headed in the wrong direction.
—Jeremy Rutherford, The Athletic, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shutout
Cite this Entry
“Shutout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shutout. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share