1
2
as in spears
a weapon with a long straight handle and sharp head or blade
the footmen set their shafts so as to form a bank of steel against the enemy's charging cavalry
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in injustices
unfair or inadequate treatment of someone or something or an instance of this
the homeowners who were bought out are convinced they got the shaft in that deal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shafts
The miners insist the two shafts were not connected.
—
Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shafts
Noun
-
White oak flooring, cabinetry, and beams are paired with soft blues, neutrals, and touches of pink, including on the front door.—
Lennie Omalza,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Ultimately, at over 100 kilonewtons of force, the structure groaned under the force before one of the beams finally gave away in an intentional collapse that provided critical data for the study.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Just like tajín, chamoy makes a delicious accent for watermelon, jicama and cucumber spears.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
Denver Post,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
However, this doesn’t mean that someone with strong justice cannot be angry or vigorous about addressing injustices.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Same as 20 years ago, when some Katrina evacuees navigated such injustices.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Moon was doing something that the Sun wasn’t — emitting gamma-rays — implying that, somehow, the Moon was doing a whole lot more than just reflecting sunlight.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Without it, those high-energy solar rays can cause painful sunburns at best, while longterm exposure dramatically increases the likelihood of skin cancers.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Note, however, that although the initial criticism is what spurred this reaction, two wrongs never make a right.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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This does not mean genuine wrongs should be dismissed.—
Jonathan Alpert,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
At a handful of locations, these spikes extended out to nearly a meter, looking more like lances than anything needed to ward off a close-in attack.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Their starting quarterback Brock Purdy suffered a left shoulder and toe injuries during the 49ers 17-13 Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Kirk, a father of two, was rushed to the hospital following the shooting, but later died of his injuries.—
Richard Hall,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Those who dismissed intersectionality saw such policies as little more than allowing the disadvantaged to commit crimes without consequences to make up for past inequities, afflicting crime victims from the same disadvantaged communities.—
John Scott Lewinski,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Adapted from Bernard-Marie Koltès’s play ‘Black Battles with Dogs’, Denis’ riveting drama gives primacy to her actors – their dialogues expressing inner desires and articulating the broader societal inequities that prevail between those who reside on either side of the fence.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shafts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shafts. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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