# shacked up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/shacked-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

(of a couple) Sharing a house, but not married.

## Examples

- They are shacked up in a small apartment.
- After dating for two years, they decided to get shacked up to save money on rent.
- Although their families expected a traditional wedding, the couple chose to live together, happily shacked up in a quiet cottage by the sea.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.