shifted

past tense of shift
1
2
3
as in changed
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 exchanged
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

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 shifted In 2021, the mood at Intel momentarily shifted for the better, several employees told Fortune. Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025 Though these core concerns have remained a constant in the group’s practice, its conceptual orientation has shifted over the past several years, from a focus on spatial interventions toward more explicitly participatory practices that question authorship and artwork. Joanna Warsza, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025 However, upon realizing the popularity of these rhythms, Barros shifted his musical direction. Karla Gachet, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025 The food and pastry lineup shifted to a drive-thru-only format from 2020-22 during the covid-19 pandemic, then sort of vanished altogether in 2023 and 2024. Eric E. Harrison, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2025 That’s when the Grizzlies shifted course and traded Bane, a franchise cornerstone, to the Magic. Joe Vardon, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 So much has shifted recently; now your body, mind, and spirit need time to catch up. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025 Affleck, who wore a face mask while delivering her remarks, then shifted her focus to COVID-19 and long-term health concerns. Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2025 Deadline first reported on Girl Group in 2019 when it was housed at Lionsgate, though the film has shifted focus considerably after it was originally announced as a story about a Korean American high school girl who enters a talent contest to perform alongside a K-pop band. Jake Kanter, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shifted
Verb
  • The youngest of the Day-Lewis clan relocated to Ireland after graduating from college, working in a pub while writing music for the National Concert Hall (NCH).
    Alyssa Davis, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Children's relocated its emergency department in 2023 to a new space built at the front of its hospital.
    Sarah Volpenhein, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Four-time league MVP A’ja Wilson had 28 points and 14 rebounds as the Aces moved ahead 2-0 in the first best-of-7 finals in league history.
    Ben Pickman, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Ahead of this school year, MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius moved some central office staff to classroom teaching positions to fill vacant roles.
    Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • That changed for just over two quarters.
    Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • But that changed, and the case took a turn after two denizens of Nashville's street scene were identified as suspects.
    Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In early September, Jakarta police alleged that some TikTok users purposefully broadcast live during the violence to entice viewers into giving them gifts or virtual prizes that can be exchanged for cash.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
  • On June 21, 2025, the NFL star exchanged vows with his high school sweetheart, Ann Michael Hudson, at the Grandfather Golf and Country Club in North Carolina, per The News & Observer.
    Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As a teen growing up in an abusive household, Morgan coped daily with physical and emotional harm from her mother.
    Laura Schwab Reese, The Conversation, 2 Sep. 2025
  • More than a year after the strike, commuters have been subject to daily traffic delays along east-west interstates while businesses have coped with a sustained decline in revenue.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The trepidation that led to Ohtani’s early exit from his start against these same Phillies last month — when Ohtani was removed from a no-hitter after five innings in an eventual loss — is not part of the calculus this time.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The church removed several of its officials following a law firm's investigation into the allegations in November.
    Nolan Clay, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Her hand twitched from the heat.
    Zuzana Říhová, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
  • My hand twitched toward the phone, muscle memory stronger than willpower.
    Maggie Downs, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This Argentina varied the positions of their attackers more.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Experimental data often varied wildly between labs and rarely aligned with its predictions.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shifted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shifted. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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