shepherd

1 of 2

noun

shep·​herd ˈshe-pərd 

1

: a person who tends sheep

2

: pastor

3

: german shepherd

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

Synonyms of shepherd

Verb

• guide
• coach
• mentor

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

Noun

Fig, an Australian shepherd, ran away from home after getting frightened by July Fourth fireworks. — ABC News, 21 July 2026

Cider is at its finest in a traditional sidrería, where it is served with Cabrales, a blue cheese aged high in the Picos de Europa mountains by cheesemakers and shepherds. — Nigel Hack, Travel + Leisure, 21 July 2026

Verb

The Oscar race for 2027 seems to have found its center of gravity, and its front-runner that will be shepherded under the Universal banner. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 23 July 2026

The employees who operate and maintain the Plane Train that shepherds thousands of passengers daily through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have ratified their first union contract — including an immediate 18% raise. — Mirtha Donastorg, AJC.com, 20 July 2026

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

Phrases Containing shepherd

• Anatolian shepherd
• Australian shepherd
• English shepherd
• German shepherd
• shepherd dog
• shepherd's check
• shepherd's pie
• shepherd's purse

Rhymes for shepherd

• leopard
• peppered

Kids Definition

shepherd

1 of 2 noun

shep·​herd ˈshep-ərd 

1

: a person who takes care of sheep

2

: german shepherd

shepherd

2 of 2 verb

: to care for as or as if a shepherd