shackup: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Informal, Slightly Taboo/Dated
Quick answer
What does “shackup” mean?
To live together, especially in a temporary or makeshift arrangement, typically involving a romantic or sexual relationship but not marriage.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To live together, especially in a temporary or makeshift arrangement, typically involving a romantic or sexual relationship but not marriage.
To reside or stay temporarily with someone, often in casual or improvised living quarters, or to enter a period of cohabitation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common historically in American English, but understood in both varieties. In modern British English, terms like 'move in with' or 'live with' are far more prevalent.
Connotations
In both varieties, retains a faintly disapproving or sensationalist tone. In AmE, it can sometimes be used more humorously or self-deprecatingly. It is rarely found in formal contexts in either variety.
Frequency
Low frequency in contemporary use for both BrE and AmE. Considered old-fashioned slang. Its peak usage was in the mid-to-late 20th century.
Grammar
How to Use “shackup” in a Sentence
[Subject] shack up with [Object (person)][Subject] shack up together[Subject] shack up in/at [Location]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “shackup” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They decided to shack up in a tiny flat in Camden for the summer.
- After the festival, we all shacked up at my mate's house in Leeds.
American English
- He shacked up with his girlfriend in a cabin near the lake.
- I heard they're going to shack up together in the city after graduation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Never used in formal writing; may appear in sociological or historical texts discussing informal relationships, often in quotations.
Everyday
Possible in very casual conversation among older speakers or for humorous effect. Largely replaced by 'move in with'.
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “shackup”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “shackup”
- Using it in formal contexts. Using it as a noun (e.g., 'He's my shackup') – while this noun form exists, it is extremely informal and potentially offensive. Forgetting it is a phrasal verb and needs the particle 'up'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not typically offensive, but it is very informal and can sound judgmental or old-fashioned. It's safer to use neutral terms like 'move in together' or 'live together'.
Yes, but less commonly. It can humorously or casually describe friends temporarily staying together, e.g., 'We all shacked up at Jake's place after the concert.' The romantic connotation is still primary.
Yes, 'shack-up' (hyphenated) exists as a very informal, potentially derogatory noun for a person one cohabits with or the act/period of cohabitation itself (e.g., 'his latest shack-up'). It is best avoided in polite conversation.
Its peak usage coincided with a time when non-marital cohabitation was more socially notable. As cohabitation became commonplace, the need for a specific, slangy term diminished, and neutral language took over.
To live together, especially in a temporary or makeshift arrangement, typically involving a romantic or sexual relationship but not marriage.
Shackup is usually informal, slightly taboo/dated in register.
Shackup: in British English it is pronounced /ˌʃæk ˈʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌʃæk ˈʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Shack up (itself is the idiom)”
- “Play house (similar concept, often for children or non-serious adults)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a couple moving into a rustic, temporary SHACK they've set UP together. The image of the 'shack' reinforces the informal, non-permanent nature of the arrangement.
Conceptual Metaphor
INFORMAL RELATIONSHIP IS A TEMPORARY SHELTER (a shack is a crude, improvised dwelling).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'shack up' be MOST appropriate?