shift 1 of 2

Definition of shiftnext
1
2
as in to twitch
to change one's position she shifted uncomfortably in her seat throughout the interview

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to change
to pass from one form, state, or level to another she watched the aurora in fascination as its colors shifted from green to blue

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in to exchange
to give up (something) and take something else in return my brother and I shifted seats just before takeoff so that he could sit by the window

Synonyms & Similar Words

5

shift

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word shift different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of shift are expedient, makeshift, resort, resource, and stopgap. While all these words mean "something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply," shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

When could expedient be used to replace shift?

The words expedient and shift can be used in similar contexts, but expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

When is it sensible to use makeshift instead of shift?

The synonyms makeshift and shift are sometimes interchangeable, but makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

How are the words resource and resort related as synonyms of shift?

Both resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.

exhausted all of their resources
a last resort

When might stopgap be a better fit than shift?

While the synonyms stopgap and shift are close in meaning, stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

How is the word shift different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of shift are expedient, makeshift, resort, resource, and stopgap. While all these words mean "something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply," shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

When could expedient be used to replace shift?

The words expedient and shift can be used in similar contexts, but expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

When is it sensible to use makeshift instead of shift?

The synonyms makeshift and shift are sometimes interchangeable, but makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

How are the words resource and resort related as synonyms of shift?

Both resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.

exhausted all of their resources
a last resort

When might stopgap be a better fit than shift?

While the synonyms stopgap and shift are close in meaning, stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shift
Verb
On a pleasant, overcast Saturday afternoon along Colorado Avenue, The Coach Prime Era at CU officially shifted from the honeymoon phase to the reality phase. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026 As owner of the Keush winery, Vahe and his daughter Aimee helped shift the industry from survival to intention. Marlise Kast-Myers, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
Other parents lost jobs and income because poorly paid private duty nurses failed to show up for their shifts, forcing parents to stay home. Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026 Shipment decline To be sure, iPhone shipments could fall roughly 2% year-over-year due to a shift in Apple’s new product schedule, which may challenge Amkor’s communications unit, according to Moore. Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shift
Verb
  • The instinctive Moon moves through your 11th House of Shared Hopes, trining surprising Uranus in your talkative 3rd house.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Groundwater tests in 1992 reveal gasoline was moving towards the Morningside house.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The launch can also be viewed on NASA's social media platforms include Facebook, twitch and X as well as NASA+, the agency's streaming service.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Curry’s body began convulsing and twitching with increasing severity, consistent with him sustaining a traumatic brain injury from being punched in the face, documents state.
    Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • So if the project is approved, the zoning laws would have to change, which would also change the county's general plan.
    Kayla Moeller, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • When the popular Italian restaurant Caffe Vialetto closed in 2025 after 26 years of feeding families and sharing milestones, diners across Miami mourned the loss of the Coral Gables icon, a stable oasis for quiet dinners and family celebrations in a wildly changing culinary landscape.
    Connie Ogle April 9, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Demetra Henderson-Burkhalter, meanwhile, had also exchanged many calls with a New Orleans man named Cornelius Garrison III, who had been a plaintiff in a lawsuit arising from a truck collision in 2015 and had been listed as a witness to another collision in 2014.
    Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
  • But Kardashian and Barker’s wedding is better known for its apparent Dolce & Gabbana brand integration—the fashion house designed the bride’s wedding looks and the seaside villa where the couple exchanged their vows was owned by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.
    Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In a bid to cope with the fallout of the energy shock, governments around the world have been quick to impose measures from fuel export bans to loosening refining standards.
    Michael Considine, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Americans are cutting back on streaming services When goods and services cost more, one way to cope is to spend less.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • California is not unique, and housing is not the only means by which the older generations have effectively pulled up the ladder behind them.
    Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Which is fortunate for Musselman, given there will be less means to lure players from the portal.
    Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Land borders dispute since 1948 The creation of the state of Israel in 1948, which led to the mass displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians and a subsequent Arab-Israeli war in 1948, led to a further shifting of borders in the region.
    Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
  • At our newest campus in Haverhill, Massachusetts, for example students will train in a 25,000-square-foot facility equipped with interactive shifting simulation and a new curriculum that focuses on hands-on learning from day one.
    Samantha Greenberg, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In September, the fish are taken out of the tanks and relocated to lakes and rivers across Northwest Wisconsin.
    John Lauritsen, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • In the meantime, Myron said workers typically based in Portico North have been relocated to other locations temporarily.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 8 Apr. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Shift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shift. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

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