shrug

1 of 2

verb

ˈshrəg How to pronounce shrug (audio)
especially Southern ˈsrəg
shrugged; shrugging
Synonyms of shrugnext

intransitive verb

: to raise or draw in the shoulders especially to express aloofness, indifference, or uncertainty

transitive verb

: to lift or contract (the shoulders) especially to express aloofness, indifference, or uncertainty

shrug

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act of shrugging
2
: a woman's small waist-length or shorter jacket

Examples of shrug in a Sentence

Verb I asked if he wanted to go out to dinner, and he just shrugged. He just shrugged his shoulders.
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.
Verb
The firefighters shrugged him off and seemed eager to finish the assignment. Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026 Images of her shrugging while looking slightly disheveled following a physical challenge went viral. Doha Madani, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
Her second look featured a strapless satin gown with a matching shrug. Christina Perrier, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026 And there is something about this shrug that feels oddly true to La Fontaine. Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shrug

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English schruggen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shrug was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrug. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

shrug

verb
ˈshrəg
shrugged; shrugging
: to draw or hunch up the shoulders usually to express doubt, uncertainty, or lack of interest
shrug noun

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