1
as in to move
to change the place or position of
he shifted the vase closer to the wall so that it wouldn't get knocked over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to twitch
to change one's position
she shifted uncomfortably in her seat throughout the interview
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to change
to pass from one form, state, or level to another
she watched the aurora in fascination as its colors shifted from green to blue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to exchange
to give up (something) and take something else in return
my brother and I shifted seats just before takeoff so that he could sit by the window
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to cope
to meet one's day-to-day needs
left the others to shift for themselves
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in means
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
desperate shifts to stave off financial disaster
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2
as in shifting
the act or an instance of changing position
made a small shift to the left to make more room on the bench
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of shift
Nicol Natale, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The team known for always being in the mix but rarely closing deals just executed a seismic trade that can shift the landscape of the NFC.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2025
Ashley Luthern, jsonline.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Someone shares a problem, and Mike’s brain immediately shifts into Fix-It Mode, dispensing advice like a vending machine dropping unwanted snacks.
—Brendan Keegan, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shift
Verb
The beauty of her outfit is its versatility, as the sweatshirt can come on or off as temperatures shift, making this formula practical to copy right now.
—Nicol Natale, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The team known for always being in the mix but rarely closing deals just executed a seismic trade that can shift the landscape of the NFC.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
Officers arrested Carson, already in uniform for his next shift, and took him to the training academy for further questioning.
—Ashley Luthern, jsonline.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Someone shares a problem, and Mike’s brain immediately shifts into Fix-It Mode, dispensing advice like a vending machine dropping unwanted snacks.
—Brendan Keegan, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shift
Verb
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Subsequent release dates have been moved forward to August for the past seven years.—
Jennifer Borresen,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
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Even 6 inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
And according to researchers at the University of British Columbia, the part of the brainstem involved in the control of sleep cycles is underdeveloped in puppies, leading them to act out their dreams with twitching and growling more often.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
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Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In Michigan, leaves will begin to change in mid-September and poison ivy leaves can change into either a red, yellow or orange color.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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Our teams continuously monitor and remain prepared should conditions change.—
Beth Warren,
The Tennessean,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The final set was much more of a contest, with the duo exchanging multiple breaks of serve as the match wound down to a nail-biting finish.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
25 Aug. 2025
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To that end, football coaches exchange game tapes six days before games.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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New York — The Trump administration has just wreaked havoc on one of the greatest coping mechanisms of our time: online shopping.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
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This is undeniably a story about grief, loss and trying to cope with it all.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The partnership is relocating squirrels from the Dakotas into the northwest portion of Indiana.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
21 Aug. 2025
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The Prince and Princess of Wales are relocating from what’s been their home for the last few years, Adelaide Cottage, to a new location, Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Italian bank has since converted this into a 26% equity shareholding in Commerzbank and has secured the European Central Bank's blessing to hold up to 29.9% — stirring speculation over plans for a potential takeover, which Commerzbank and the Berlin administration have resisted.—
Ruxandra Iordache,
CNBC,
29 Aug. 2025
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The approach has even stirred infighting within the GOP, as grassroots Republicans clash with state leaders aligned with powerful business interests.—
Josh Salman,
Miami Herald,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The cost per location can vary widely based on terrain and population density.—
Jon Brodkin,
ArsTechnica,
14 Aug. 2025
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The proportion of ERs without an attending physician always on-site varies wildly by state.—
Arielle Zionts. KFF Health News,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shift. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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