shuffle

1 of 2

verb

shuf·​fle ˈshə-fəl 

shuffled; shuffling ˈshə-f(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to mix in a mass confusedly : jumble

2

: to put or thrust aside or under cover

shuffled the whole matter out of his mind

3

a

: to rearrange (playing cards, dominoes, tiles, etc.) to produce a random order

b

: to move about, back and forth, or from one place to another : shift

shuffle funds among various accounts

4

a

: to move by sliding along or back and forth without lifting

shuffle one's feet

b

: to perform (something, such as a dance) with a dragging, sliding step

intransitive verb

1

: to work into or out of trickily

shuffled out of the difficulty

2

: to act or speak in a shifty or evasive manner

3

a

: to move or walk in a sliding dragging manner without lifting the feet

b

: to dance in a lazy nonchalant manner with sliding and tapping motions of the feet

c

: to execute in a perfunctory or clumsy manner

4

: to mix playing cards or counters by shuffling

shuffler

ˈshə-f(ə-)lər 

noun

shuffle

2 of 2

noun

1

: an evasion of the issue : equivocation

2

a

: an act of shuffling (as of cards)

b

: a right or turn to shuffle

it's your shuffle

c

: a confusing jumble (as of papers or events)

lost in the shuffle

3

a

: a dragging sliding movement

specifically : a sliding or scraping step in dancing

b

: a dance characterized by such a step

c(1)

: a rhythm where each beat of the measure is played as a triplet with the first and second parts of the triplet tied and the third part accented

(2)

: music played in a shuffle rhythm

Synonyms

Verb

• stomp
• stumble

Noun

• jumble
• medley
• assortment
• variety
• collage
• scramble

Examples of shuffle in a Sentence

Verb

He shuffled across the floor.

She stood there, shuffling her feet, waiting for the bus to arrive.

She shuffled the papers on her desk.

The manager shuffled the batting order.

Whose turn is it to shuffle and deal?

Noun

We heard the shuffle of feet outside the door.

He gave the cards a good shuffle and then dealt.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Nicolo Barella would often drop between Stefan de Vrij and right centre-back Matteo Darmian or pull wide outside of Urawa’s defensive block to kickstart Inter’s possession, meaning the Japanese side were comfortable shuffling from side to side with the game in front of them. —James Horncastle, New York Times, 21 June 2025

The latest major example of this reliable horror subgenre shuffling (or in this case running) into theaters is 28 Years Later. —James Grebey, Time, 20 June 2025

Noun

This is not the time to engage in a shuffle dance contest or go around kicking people. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025

The peppy shuffle rhythm and the bright chords ground the verse in familiar territory, but Andersson’s martial piano flourishes on the minor chord in the pre-chorus briefly pull the song somewhere older and darker. —Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps irregular from shove entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1570, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing shuffle

• lost in the shuffle

Rhymes for shuffle

• duffel
• duffle
• muffle
• ruffle
• scuffle
• truffle
• reshuffle

Kids Definition

shuffle

1 of 2 verb

shuf·​fle ˈshəf-əl 

shuffled; shuffling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to mix in a disorderly mass

2

: to push out of sight

3

a

: to mix cards to change their order in the pack

b

: to move from place to place

4

a

: to walk or move by sliding or dragging the feet

shuffling along

b

: to move by sliding along or back and forth without lifting

shuffled her feet

shuffler

-(ə-)lər 

noun

shuffle

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: an act of shuffling

b

: a disorderly mass or pile

2

: a sliding or dragging walk