From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishshakeoutshake‧out /ˈʃeɪkaʊt/ noun 1 [countable usually singular]PE a situation in which several companies fail because they cannot compete with stronger companies in difficult economic conditions2 [countable]BBCHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENT a shakeup
Examples from the Corpus
shakeout• Then, as always, there was a crash and a shakeout.• But the much-needed corporate shakeout is held up by feeble bankruptcy rules.• The current shakeout may serve to separate the haves from have-nots.• Especially with the middle-management shakeout of the nineties, bosses change.• The shakeout fuels the consolidation, as groups of lawyers from failed firms attach themselves to larger firms.From Longman Business Dictionaryshakeoutshake‧out /ˈʃeɪkaʊt/ noun [countable] ECONOMICS a change in market conditions that causes less successful or profitable businesses, investments etc to failThe Treasury bond market appears to be headed for a shakeout.Weaker institutions are not expected to survive the shakeout in the crowded business-school market.