shrug

1 of 2

verb

ˈshrəg 

 especially Southern  ˈsrəg

shrugged; shrugging

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

Verb

If South Miami-Dade commuters shrug at Metro Express, county leaders will be left having to explain why Washington and Tallahassee should back other transit projects when riders failed to embrace this one. —Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025

The tragedy side of things is addressed rather offhandedly — occasionally the movie will remember the boggling grief and betrayal at its center, only to shrug it off again just as quickly. —Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025

Noun

In the study, subjects performed shoulder shrugs and rotations and upper back stretches. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 16 Oct. 2025

Shane Brennan, a sports reporter for The Irish Independent, one of the nation’s largest newspapers, shrugs. —Alec Lewis, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025

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

Phrases Containing shrug

• shrug off

Rhymes for shrug

• chug
• doug
• drug
• dug
• hug
• jug
• lug
• mug
• plug
• pug
• rug
• rugg

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