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
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Verb
Television cameras caught Rushing, who had walked toward the Dodgers’ dugout, looking back toward Lee, shrugging and saying something. Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026 Hoja shrugs and points out that the coat was the only thing that had changed about him, so the feast must be in its honor. Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
Don’t believe the Dodgers’ public shrugs about the recent dead-arm condition of Edwin Díaz. Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026 But his uppercase blasts, chest-thumping rants and coarse insults are more likely now to draw a Gallic shrug. Serge Schmemann, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 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 29 Apr. 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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