shifted; shifting; shifts
1
: to exchange for or replace by another : change
clouds shifting shape
efforts to shift public opinion
2
a
: to change the place, position, or direction of : move
She shifted her position.
He shifted his bag to the other shoulder.
They shifted their gaze to the sky.
b
: to make a change in (place)
… Unto Southampton do we shift our scene.—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare3
linguistics
: to change phonetically over time
1
a
: to change place or position
She shifted in her seat.
(figurative) investors shift away from stocks
b
: to change direction
The wind shifted.
c
: to change gears
shifted into third
d
: to depress the shift key (as on a computer keyboard)
2
a
: to assume responsibility
had to shift for themselves
b
: to resort to expedients
… prompts him to shift and dissimulate.—H. L. Mencken
H. L. Mencken3
a
: to go through a change
Public opinion has shifted in recent months.
b
: to change one's clothes
c
linguistics
: to become changed phonetically over time
see also:
Examples of shift in a Sentence
I shifted the bag to my other shoulder.
She shifted her position slightly so she could see the stage better.
They shifted him to a different department.
He nervously shifted from foot to foot.
She shifted in her seat.
Public opinion has shifted dramatically in recent months.
Their efforts to shift public opinion have failed.
I wanted to shift the discussion back to the main point.
They tried to shift the blame onto us.
Their attempts at shifting attention away from the controversy seemed to be working.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Stanley Cup Final shifted to Las Vegas for Game 3 with the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes knotted at 1-1 after splitting the opening two games in Raleigh.
—Matt Reigle, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2026
Elsewhere, Broadway tours evaporated as leadership increasingly shifted focus toward campus rentals and a handful of special events, including a Mark Twain Prize ceremony honoring Bill Maher.
—Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Furthermore, 85% of respondents did not know eligibility checks would shift from annually to every six months.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Look for entrapment risks, especially with inflatable pool equipment that can shift with use.
—Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shift
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Matt Reigle, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2026
Elsewhere, Broadway tours evaporated as leadership increasingly shifted focus toward campus rentals and a handful of special events, including a Mark Twain Prize ceremony honoring Bill Maher.
—Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Furthermore, 85% of respondents did not know eligibility checks would shift from annually to every six months.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Look for entrapment risks, especially with inflatable pool equipment that can shift with use.
—Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shift
Cite this Entry
“Shift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shift. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shift
1 of 2 verb1
: to exchange for another of the same kind
2
a
: to change the place, position, or direction of
b
: to make a change in place, position, or direction
the wind shifted
c
: to change the gear rotating the transmission shaft of an automobile
3
: to get along without help : fend
left the others to shift for themselves
shift
2 of 2 noun1
: a means or device for getting something done
2
b
3
: the act of shifting
4
: a group of workers who work together during a scheduled period of time
also
: the period of time during which they work
5
Medical Definition
shift
noun
: a change in place, position, or frequency: as
a
: a change in frequency resulting in a change in position of a spectral line or band compare doppler effect
b
: a removal or transfer from one thing or place to another see chloride shift
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