1
as in to move
to change the place or position of
he shifted the vase closer to the wall so that it wouldn't get knocked over
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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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
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5
as in to cope
to meet one's day-to-day needs
left the others to shift for themselves
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in means
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
desperate shifts to stave off financial disaster
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2
as in shifting
the act or an instance of changing position
made a small shift to the left to make more room on the bench
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of shift
Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 20 June 2025
Temperatures above 75 to 80°F can trigger bolting, at which point the plants shift their energy into flowering and stop producing new foliage.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 20 June 2025
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 20 June 2025
The track marks a stylistic shift, showcasing Jaydon’s ability to push the tempo without losing his soulful edge.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shift
Verb
The dangerous and record-shattering heat will shift east by the end of the weekend and the start of next week.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 20 June 2025
Temperatures above 75 to 80°F can trigger bolting, at which point the plants shift their energy into flowering and stop producing new foliage.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 20 June 2025
Noun
The historic drop came in response to news that the German enterprise technology stalwart was pulling its five-year financial guidance, as pandemic pressures lingered and customers embarked on a margin-threatening shift away from on-premise software, which had been SAP’s lucrative forte.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 20 June 2025
The track marks a stylistic shift, showcasing Jaydon’s ability to push the tempo without losing his soulful edge.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shift
Verb
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Wales have done well under Wilkinson to move away from a hardened reputation as being Fishlock’s team and become more of a sum of their parts.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
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Employees are held to high speed standards, with some scanning up to 1,200 items an hour to keep lines moving.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Animated objects tend to activate the deeply rooted human impulse to perceive things that move as alive—a tendency harnessed to great effect in the uncannily twitching wires of Pol Bury’s reliefs or Robert Breer’s creeping domes.—
Marina Isgro,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
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The early symptoms include muscle weakness, cramps, twitching, stiff muscles, speech challenges, trouble swallowing, and drooling.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
Verb
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One thing that has changed in recent months is inventory: The number of homes for sale is up more than 20% over a year ago.—
Laurel Wamsley,
NPR,
23 June 2025
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But, putting aside such once-in-a-generation talents, the landscape of the league has subtly changed.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Shares of private company can be exchanged by accredited investors in secondary markets; Republic will initially price SpaceX tokens based on how the company’s shares are performing there.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
25 June 2025
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The magnetic appeal of Longboat Key after many visits as well as aging parents nearby had motivated us to exchange Wisconsin winters for seaside living in the Sunshine State.—
Michelle Johnson,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Verb
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These symptoms weren’t only tied to how close someone was to the event but were strongly influenced by personal factors like pre-existing mental health issues and the coping strategies used in the early aftermath.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
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As couples become closer through a shared reality, researchers also observed a greater sense of meaning in life, where individuals have a strong feeling of purpose, which research indicates can lead to better coping, greater happiness, and improved health outcomes.—
Beth Greenfield,
Fortune,
18 June 2025
Verb
-
After spending his childhood in Minnesota, his family relocated to Orlando.—
Avery Stone,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2025
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The last three teams were all retread markets filling a void left by teams that relocated.—
John Cassillo,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Verb
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More recently, the actress stirred buzz for gaining 30 pounds to play boxer Christy Martin in an upcoming biopic.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
18 June 2025
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The beauty and brilliance of Baum’s story is undoubtedly in its timeless power to stir an emotional response in us as adults.—
Hazel Gaynor
June 18,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Like many other theme parks, prices vary by date and demand.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
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Mileage may vary on the end result, but seeing the old and new Jurassic casts team up is pretty hard to resist.—
Will Harris,
EW.com,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shift. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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