shaft

1
as in beam
a narrow sharply defined line of light radiating from an object shafts of late-afternoon sunlight pierced the blinds and streaked the floor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in spear
a weapon with a long straight handle and sharp head or blade the footmen set their shafts so as to form a bank of steel against the enemy's charging cavalry

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in injustice
unfair or inadequate treatment of someone or something or an instance of this the homeowners who were bought out are convinced they got the shaft in that deal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shaft Curly hair is often drier than types 1 and 2 because oils cannot travel as easily down a curly hair shaft. Maggie Donahue, Health, 27 Sep. 2025 The affected trucks were not produced in VIN order, so to learn if their truck is eligible for a steering column upper shaft replacement, owners should call Ford's customer service hotline at 1-866-436-7332 or schedule an appointment with a local dealership. Greta Cross, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025 Without being properly harnessed, Wongel became separated from her seat during the 110-foot drop and fell to the bottom of the attraction's shaft, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment's Division of Oil and Public Safety investigators said. David Chiu, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025 The 8-inch blending shaft is another plus. Olivia Tarantino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shaft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaft
Noun
  • Work up an appetite on the slopes, or take a sleigh ride that ends with hot apple cider at Taylor Farm, before hitting up the Mexican tacos at Taqueria El Chepe or visit Solo Farm & Table to enjoy a seasonal menu within an airy space with wide plank floors and wooden beams.
    Megan Margulies, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Make your vehicle visible to others both ahead of you and behind you by using your low-beam headlights since this means your taillights will also be on.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Guests learn navigation, shelter building, spear making, and foraging for wild foods, along with fire-starting and astro-navigation techniques.
    Essence, Essence, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Asparagus boasts 89 micrograms (mcg) of folate per four spears.
    Molly Burford, Verywell Health, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In both nations, anger prevails for the injustices of those calling themselves saviors.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Young protesters in Madagascar and elsewhere are reimagining the manga characters’ fight against injustice as their own, anime experts say.
    Elmira Aliieva, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The mill also bowed Cool Blue, a family of quick drying fabrics that releases moisture into the air, and a new black that protects the wearer from sunlight and UV rays.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Your body also makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun.
    Kirstyn Hill, Health, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The tricky part is fitting hammer throw, javelin and discus into the equation.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
  • The senior placed first at the Div. 1 championship in both javelin and discus.
    Brian Roach, Boston Herald, 6 July 2025
Noun
  • While pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling may look similar on the shelf, there are key differences between them, and grabbing the wrong can can really throw off your pumpkin recipe.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Tamra, whom Shannon has refused to forgive for past wrongs, goes under the table to help right as Shannon starts to slide out her seat in the banquette under the table.
    Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant.
    David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • The thermal lance Caan uses to penetrate the safe was Santucci’s own burning bar.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Tyson Kozak left the game with a lower-body injury after just three shifts.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • According to the Department of Transportation, daylight saving time saves energy, prevents traffic injuries and reduces crime.
    Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shaft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaft. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on shaft

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!