Meaning trap
shut down
dismiss an argument
To reject, silence, or abruptly end someone’s point or contribution in a discussion, often without giving it fair consideration.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To reject, silence, or abruptly end someone’s point or contribution in a discussion, often without giving it fair consideration.
'shut down' also has the more basic meaning 'close a business or system'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
Whenever someone challenges his ideas, he tends to shut them down before they can finish explaining.
In group discussions, it is important not to shut down alternative viewpoints, as this can hinder creative problem-solving.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: He shut down me in the meeting.
Say: He shut me down in the meeting.
With a person or pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'shut me down'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Shut someone down' is the punchy spoken way to say they cut off your point dismissively; the formal version is flat.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
shut down + person/idea
- me
- the idea
- the suggestion
- any debate
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- shut down (close a business or system) — 'shut down' also has the more basic meaning 'close a business or system'; this is the advanced sense.