shift 1 of 2

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

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
The return of Josko Gvardiol at centre-back allowed Khusanov to shift across. Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 Okrah Hunter points to long-term partners who have leaned in, not out, as the climate has shifted. Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
Just in time for this seasonal shift, Walmart released its list of the Top Toys of 2025, which includes 50 of the year’s most popular toys and new releases from Lego, Melissa & Doug, Play-Doh, and more. Katrina Cossey, Parents, 16 Sep. 2025 It is meant to convey to the world Ford's shift from a product-first to a human-first company that emphasizes aspects of Ford beyond its vehicles, showing how Ford fits various lifestyles. Jamie L. Lareau, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shift
Verb
  • Plants can’t move like people do, so they are exposed to the sun all day long, Fuller said.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Both offenses are moving with little resistance thus far.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • My hand twitched toward the phone, muscle memory stronger than willpower.
    Maggie Downs, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Jones’ raw traits have always been jaw-dropping — a 6-foot-6 defensive end who can combine an edge rusher’s twitch with an interior lineman’s power.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Amazon has received about 1,500 emails in the past year, and the company has changed about 455 processes based on that feedback, Jassy said.
    Annie Palmer, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Humans can also read between the lines, understand nuance, adapt to change and lend a listening ear in ways machines can’t.
    Amanda Lauren, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But the carrier avoided big changes in the process and instead focused on a deal with its bondholders, which exchanged almost $800 million in debt for equity, and it was greeted after bankruptcy with persistently higher costs and weaker-than-expected domestic travel demand.
    Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The app gives owners the option to connect with the owners of their canine's relative, to exchange information about their pets or schedule a playdate.
    Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Encourage healthy coping strategies.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Sidelined since July 15, the WNBA star is dealing with being out for an extended period of time — and coping with being on the bench has been a seemingly unwelcome transition.
    Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The future of this rapidly expanding means of devising software by tapping into the generative capabilities of modern-era AI, such as ChatGPT, Claude, Llama, Grok, Gemini, and other large language models, will be discussed.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Such compounds can form by other means, such as, for example, the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide.
    Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Big Think, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • For instance, tax code complexity considers 15 of the most important tax regulations (for example, rules governing taxes on capital gains, usage of net operating losses to offset income, mitigation of base erosion and profit shifting, among others).
    Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Standing in the hulking concrete box—the open-air nucleus of the home—evokes being in a James Turrell Skyspace, your senses heightened to the shifting of the light or the passing of clouds.
    Siobhan Reid, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Most of them — 69 people — were relocated to emergency shelters, while 22 others were placed in some form of permanent housing.
    Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Carman Chan, founder of Click Ventures, a single-family office, similarly noted that many of her family office peers who set up businesses in Singapore are relocating back to Hong Kong.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Shift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shift. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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