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

Firehouse treated her 12-year-old German shepherd, who is no longer incontinent and has less arthritis pain. —Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 15 Feb. 2026

One such pet, Lainey, a husky shepherd, was found after going missing in Arizona with the help of a neighbor's Ring camera. —Melina Khan, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026

Verb

Whitney shepherds a sky-high Henry from the dance floor, where things were getting steamy, to a glory hole, presumably so the Industry FX guy can show off his derring-do. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026

The Detroit Lions have president Rod Wood shepherding a large part of owner Sheila Ford Hamp’s operation. —Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 16 Feb. 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