shepherd

1 of 2

noun

shep·​herd ˈshe-pərd How to pronounce shepherd (audio)
Synonyms of shepherdnext
1
: a person who tends sheep
2
: pastor
3

shepherd

2 of 2

verb

shepherded; shepherding; shepherds

transitive verb

1
: to tend as a shepherd
2
: to guide or guard in the manner of a shepherd
shepherded the bill through Congress

Examples of shepherd in a Sentence

Verb She carefully shepherded the children across the street. They shepherded the bill through Congress.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Other breeds among the gifted dogs that participated in the study were a German shepherd, a Labrador retriever, a miniature Australian shepherd, a Blue Heeler and Australian Shepherd mix. Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026 Hart, who previously owned a German shepherd, shared in an update in the comments section of Woodside Animal Welfare Trust's post about the adoption. Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
Our young hero Spike (Alfie Williams), having abandoned the secluded safety of his island home in the wake of his mother’s death, finds himself at the mercy of this merry band of bloodthirsty pranksters, shepherded by a sadistic Manson-esque leader, Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell). Katie Walsh, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026 In addition to shepherding mothers through birth and the first years of parenting, the program aims to help women on public assistance programs achieve economic independence. Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shepherd

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sheepherde, from Old English scēaphyrde, from scēap sheep + hierde herdsman; akin to Old English heord herd

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1822, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of shepherd was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shepherd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shepherd. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

shepherd

1 of 2 noun
shep·​herd ˈshep-ərd How to pronounce shepherd (audio)
1
: a person who takes care of sheep
2

shepherd

2 of 2 verb
: to care for as or as if a shepherd

More from Merriam-Webster on shepherd

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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