shrug

1 of 2

verb

ˈshrəg How to pronounce shrug (audio)
 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
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
Voters shrugged and elected Trump anyway, and his allies say concerns about retribution were overblown. Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 6 Nov. 2024 Experts who track the approach of new models throw their hands up and shrug when asked about Jaguar. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 9 Nov. 2024
Noun
Hannah stares at her sister, who laughs and shrugs. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024 Augusta and her team thoughtfully mixed the patterns together with everything from the tablecloths, to the chair shrugs, to the fabric light fixtures. Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near shrug

Cite this Entry

“Shrug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrug. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on shrug

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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