Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

shift

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of shift

1 an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
  • desperate shifts to stave off financial disaster
Synonyms of shift

expedient, means, measure, move, step
Words Related to shift

act, action, deed, doing, feat, thing

course, procedure, proceeding, process

activity, affair, business, dealing, enterprise, event

attempt, crack, endeavor, essay, fling, go, initiative, operation, pass, shot, stab, trial, try, undertaking, whack

effort, exertion, labor, pains, trouble, while, work

project, proposal, proposition

makeshift, resort, resource, stopgap

countermeasure, countermove, counterstep
2 the act or an instance of changing position
  • We made a small shift to the left to make more room on the bench.
Synonyms of shift

motion, move, movement, shifting, stir, stirring
Words Related to shift

dislocation, migration, relocation

locomotion, mobility, motility, motivity

fiddling, fidgeting, squirm, squirming, twitching, wriggling, writhing

flailing, flapping, waving
Near Antonyms of shift

immobility

inertia, inertness, stillness

cessation, discontinuance, ending, expiration, finish, halt, lapse, pause, shutdown, shutoff, stop, stoppage, surcease, termination
Antonyms of shift

motionlessness

Synonym Discussion of shift

resource, resort, expedient, shift, makeshift, stopgap mean something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply. resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.
    • exhausted all of their resources
    • a last resort
expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.
    • a flimsy expedient
shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.
    • desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure
makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.
    • old equipment employed as a makeshift
stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.
    • a new law intended only as a stopgap

shift

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of shift

1 to change the place or position of
  • He shifted the vase closer to the wall so that it wouldn't get knocked over.
Synonyms of shift

budge, dislocate, displace, disturb, move, relocate, remove, reposition, transfer, transpose
Words Related to shift

bear, carry, cart, convey, drive, haul, lug, tote, transmit, transplant, transport

replace, supersede, supplant

alter, make over, modify, redo, refashion, remake, remodel, revamp, revise, rework, vary
Near Antonyms of shift

anchor, fix, freeze, moor, secure, set, stabilize

embed (also imbed), entrench (also intrench), implant, ingrain (also engrain), lodge, root
2 to change one's position
  • She shifted uncomfortably in her seat throughout the interview.
Synonyms of shift

budge, move, stir
Words Related to shift

fiddle, fidget, jiggle, squiggle, squirm, toss, twitch, wiggle, wriggle, writhe

rouse
Near Antonyms of shift

hang around, remain, stay, stick around, tarry

stabilize
Antonyms of shift

freeze, still
3 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 of shift

change, fluctuate, mutate, snap, vary
Words Related to shift

metamorphose, morph, transmute

better, improve

deteriorate, worsen

turn around

seesaw, teeter, vacillate, waver
Antonyms of shift

plateau, stabilize
4 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 of shift

change, commute, exchange, substitute, swap, switch, trade
Words Related to shift

interchange

displace, replace, supersede

cede, hand over, surrender, yield

reciprocate
5 to meet one's day-to-day needs
  • I left the others to shift for themselves.
Synonyms of shift

cope, do, fare, get along, get by, get on, make out, manage
Words Related to shift

carry on, contrive, scrape (by or through), scrounge

last, survive

eke out, scrape (out), squeeze, wrest, wring

afford, swing
Phrases Synonymous with shift

fend for oneself, make do, make ends meet, make shift
Near Antonyms of shift

collapse, fail, fall short, fizzle, flounder

decline, peter (out), slump, wane

give up

Learn More about shift

  1. See words that rhyme with shift Dictionary: Definition of shift Medical Dictionary: Definition of shift Spanish Central: Translation of shift Nglish: Translation of shift for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of shift for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up shift? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games