shutdown
shutdown Lexical Profile
shutdown Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A cessation or temporary suspension of an operation, activity, or business, such as a factory, government agency, or public service.
"The prolonged government shutdown delayed the processing of thousands of passport applications."
The process of turning off a computer, machine, or industrial system safely so that power is removed and all operations cease.
"Please save all open documents before initiating a full system shutdown."
A state of acute emotional, cognitive, or communicative withdrawal in response to overwhelming stress or sensory overload.
"The loud noise and crowded room triggered a sensory shutdown, leaving him unable to speak for several minutes."
Word Nuance & Usage
The solid one-word form "shutdown" is used as a noun or attributive modifier (e.g., "a factory shutdown"), whereas the two-word phrasal verb "shut down" is used for the action (e.g., "they had to shut down the factory").