as in shift
the act or an instance of changing position
the shifting of the toys to the front of the display was a direct result of their sudden popularity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in moving
to change the place or position of
he shifted the vase closer to the wall so that it wouldn't get knocked over
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in squirming
to change one's position
she shifted uncomfortably in her seat throughout the interview
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3
as in changing
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 exchanging
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 coping
to meet one's day-to-day needs
left the others to shift for themselves
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shifting
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Land borders dispute since 1948 The creation of the state of Israel in 1948, which led to the mass displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians and a subsequent Arab-Israeli war in 1948, led to a further shifting of borders in the region.
—Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
At our newest campus in Haverhill, Massachusetts, for example students will train in a 25,000-square-foot facility equipped with interactive shifting simulation and a new curriculum that focuses on hands-on learning from day one.
—Samantha Greenberg, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
Consumer advocates and some regulatory analysts have raised concerns that the separate rate proposal is not strong enough to fully protect non-data center customers from cost shifting related to new energy projects.
—Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 1 Apr. 2026
The shifting perspective is the magic of the show.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
The shifting explanations, the defense argues, suggest the decision may have been arbitrary.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Is shape-shifting is in her DNA?
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2026
Tech companies appear to be particularly aggressive with profit shifting.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
Back then, the connection aimed to paint Zayn as a similarly paradigm-shifting artist—a pop icon, sure, but also an avatar of so many sociocultural dynamics.
—Sameer Rao, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
Together, these forces — dissatisfied customers, lower barriers to entry, and shifting value propositions — are likely to intensify competitive pressure across the software industry.
—Michael Jacobides, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Lamont could work around that problem by shifting additional funds for schools outside of the formal budget and around the purview of the spending cap.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2026
Under the agreement, the bigger payout, which Covert says equals roughly a quarter of his income as an electrical contractor, won’t start until the project is completed and online — and Covert isn’t sure when that will happen amid the shifting federal landscape.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
This entire conversation might have concluded two years ago if the voters whose support the Royals required hadn’t viewed the details as a combination of absent, confusing or shifting.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2026
While Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs) — which were originally designed for gaming — have been effectively repurposed for AI training, focus is now shifting to the most efficient ways to actually deploy the tech in applications, known as AI inference.
—Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026
Maybe shifting your workday by half an hour would make a world of difference to your commute, or working East Coast hours would be a lot easier for day care pick-up and drop-off.
—Andee Tagle, NPR, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
The conventions of American journalism don’t serve this shifting, multi-sided reality well.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Land borders dispute since 1948 The creation of the state of Israel in 1948, which led to the mass displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians and a subsequent Arab-Israeli war in 1948, led to a further shifting of borders in the region.
—Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
At our newest campus in Haverhill, Massachusetts, for example students will train in a 25,000-square-foot facility equipped with interactive shifting simulation and a new curriculum that focuses on hands-on learning from day one.
—Samantha Greenberg, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
Consumer advocates and some regulatory analysts have raised concerns that the separate rate proposal is not strong enough to fully protect non-data center customers from cost shifting related to new energy projects.
—Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 1 Apr. 2026
The shifting perspective is the magic of the show.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
The shifting explanations, the defense argues, suggest the decision may have been arbitrary.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Is shape-shifting is in her DNA?
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2026
Tech companies appear to be particularly aggressive with profit shifting.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
Dripping glitter, shimmering adhesive crystals, dramatic slashes of eyeliner and smudges of eyeshadow—there was a playful, shifting experimentalism here, to signal the young characters’ changeability and ingenuity.
—Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
Back then, the connection aimed to paint Zayn as a similarly paradigm-shifting artist—a pop icon, sure, but also an avatar of so many sociocultural dynamics.
—Sameer Rao, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
Together, these forces — dissatisfied customers, lower barriers to entry, and shifting value propositions — are likely to intensify competitive pressure across the software industry.
—Michael Jacobides, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Lamont could work around that problem by shifting additional funds for schools outside of the formal budget and around the purview of the spending cap.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2026
Under the agreement, the bigger payout, which Covert says equals roughly a quarter of his income as an electrical contractor, won’t start until the project is completed and online — and Covert isn’t sure when that will happen amid the shifting federal landscape.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
This entire conversation might have concluded two years ago if the voters whose support the Royals required hadn’t viewed the details as a combination of absent, confusing or shifting.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2026
While Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs) — which were originally designed for gaming — have been effectively repurposed for AI training, focus is now shifting to the most efficient ways to actually deploy the tech in applications, known as AI inference.
—Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026
Maybe shifting your workday by half an hour would make a world of difference to your commute, or working East Coast hours would be a lot easier for day care pick-up and drop-off.
—Andee Tagle, NPR, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shifting
Noun
-
The Thiel says 200 workers spent Saturday demolishing the stair tower and elevator shaft, and then the focus shifts to the rest of the building.—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Kansas City’s comic and fandom community is preparing for a new kind of event, one that shifts the focus away from large convention halls, and toward local creators and accessible experiences.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The tactics are commonly associated with South American theft groups known for operating across state lines and moving quickly from one community to another.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
By the end, the movie takes on the hallucinatory feel of an existential horror film, less about where anyone is going than what keeps them moving at all.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Like him, Rue is squirming under Laurie’s thumb, anxious to get out.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
-
There will be no squirming tonight.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The size and speed limits are real, but so is the production and the knack for momentum-changing plays.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
But that may be changing, Tunnel artists and local art world figures say.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Citizens and businesses began exchanging Yugoslav dinars for German marks to secure a more stable store of value.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Two members of the team are seen entering the module and exchanging fist bumps with the Artemis II crew.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Job-hopping, or cycling through roles after short stints, has become one coping mechanism.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Crews often found release in rowdiness, camaraderie, practical jokes, and the inevitable coping mechanisms of drink and drugs.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The move comes as Americans grapple with a surge in gasoline prices that threatens to eat away at household budgets and slow the economy.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Vargas points to a significant move made by the Los Angeles Unified School District last year, impacting all elementary and middle school campuses.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The letter also asks local leaders to modernize and streamline land-use, permitting, and development frameworks to increase housing supply and improve affordability, which is a major barrier to both people and companies relocating to the state.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Season two will be based in Los Angeles, relocating from New York.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shifting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shifting. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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