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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in coping
to meet one's day-to-day needs
left the others to shift for themselves
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shifting
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
The way Shaw-naé tells it, heading into the pandemic became a shifting point for her.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2025
Leveraging cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs), OCTOID combines dynamic color-changing camouflage with programmable, reversible shape-shifting, all in a single platform.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
The shifting of hair hairstyles.
—Donnetta Monk, Essence, 24 Oct. 2025
Such unsupervised conversational shape-shifting would make this rogue Humbert particularly charismatic.
—Vauhini Vara, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
Jones concluded this decline likely reflects fewer large investors and less intense buyer competition, with a housing market shifting, slowly, toward more balance.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
Look no further than Larroudé (every It-girl’s footwear retailer of choice nowadays) and its wide selection of shoe styles that are perfectly timed to the shifting of the seasons and your urgent need to make the style statement of the century.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2025
An autumn train ride is a great way to experience the shifting of the seasons and learn about the history of the region, all while soaking in the views of southwest Colorado’s dramatic landscapes.
—Acacia Gabriel, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2025
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025
Frequent drone and artillery attacks on the key highway and rail line have forced Kyiv to find alternative supply routes, shifting the hub function away from Pokrovsk – a major success for the Russians.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
If the claims are true, this new shape-shifting jet engine could make future aircraft faster, stealthier, and far more fuel efficient.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
Other New York business leaders share Catsimatidis’s apprehensions, with several reportedly considering curtailing investments or shifting out of the city.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
With cuisine drawn from various regions across Anatolia, especially its diverse southeast region, the menu is constantly shifting and incorporating seasonal produce.
—Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
This could look like spontaneous travel plans, shifting your career focus or even a spiritual awakening.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Danny Brown, Stardust The always fascinating and shape-shifting Danny Brown returns this week with new album Stardust, his delving into the world of hyperpop.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 7 Nov. 2025
Selected for Locarno’s Pardi di Domani before appearing in Seville’s Official Shorts, the film traces emancipation, hiding and survival of spirit through labor, movement and shifting bodies.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
The spotlight’s shifting, Pisces.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
The way Shaw-naé tells it, heading into the pandemic became a shifting point for her.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2025
Leveraging cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs), OCTOID combines dynamic color-changing camouflage with programmable, reversible shape-shifting, all in a single platform.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
The shifting of hair hairstyles.
—Donnetta Monk, Essence, 24 Oct. 2025
Such unsupervised conversational shape-shifting would make this rogue Humbert particularly charismatic.
—Vauhini Vara, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
Jones concluded this decline likely reflects fewer large investors and less intense buyer competition, with a housing market shifting, slowly, toward more balance.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
Look no further than Larroudé (every It-girl’s footwear retailer of choice nowadays) and its wide selection of shoe styles that are perfectly timed to the shifting of the seasons and your urgent need to make the style statement of the century.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2025
An autumn train ride is a great way to experience the shifting of the seasons and learn about the history of the region, all while soaking in the views of southwest Colorado’s dramatic landscapes.
—Acacia Gabriel, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
Balance these with dependable evergreen trees for an ever-shifting palette of color in the landscape.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025
Frequent drone and artillery attacks on the key highway and rail line have forced Kyiv to find alternative supply routes, shifting the hub function away from Pokrovsk – a major success for the Russians.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
If the claims are true, this new shape-shifting jet engine could make future aircraft faster, stealthier, and far more fuel efficient.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
Other New York business leaders share Catsimatidis’s apprehensions, with several reportedly considering curtailing investments or shifting out of the city.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
With cuisine drawn from various regions across Anatolia, especially its diverse southeast region, the menu is constantly shifting and incorporating seasonal produce.
—Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
This could look like spontaneous travel plans, shifting your career focus or even a spiritual awakening.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Danny Brown, Stardust The always fascinating and shape-shifting Danny Brown returns this week with new album Stardust, his delving into the world of hyperpop.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 7 Nov. 2025
Selected for Locarno’s Pardi di Domani before appearing in Seville’s Official Shorts, the film traces emancipation, hiding and survival of spirit through labor, movement and shifting bodies.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shifting
Noun
-
Officers in certain other units, such as foot patrol and community resource officers, had been transferred to nightly patrol shifts.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The company also highlighted its shift toward a Robot-as-a-Service model, indicating readiness for global commercial deployment rather than experimental use.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York voted against moving ahead with the package, along with all but eight of his Democratic colleagues.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Director Michael Arden, meanwhile, is up to his elbows just moving the cumbersome Legos of Dane Laffrey’s set around.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
An annual tradition in the legal circle, as well as his UCLA symposium sit-downs, the hourlong speech from the predominantly softspoken Ziffren clearly had a few attendees squirming in their seats near the end.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Hungry birds looking for dozens of squirming caterpillars a day to feed their young can easily find the insects on oak trees.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Strategically using dimmers, light-filtering and -blocking window coverings, and temperature-changing light sources also offer sensory support.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Events like moving to a new neighborhood, buying a new car, changing jobs or even adjusting one’s daily commute can be enough to warrant a review of one’s risks and coverage.—
Ethan M. Stone,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The organization and its arbitration-eligible players had faced a Thursday deadline for exchanging salary figures.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Video made public Friday shows the 37-year-old and her wife exchanging words with ICE officers in the seconds before the shooting.—
Annie Gowen,
Washington Post,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Many turn to short-term coping strategies that undermine long-term survival, like selling off livestock.—
Nurith Aizenman,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
-
For years, Canari, a professional piragua driver, made a living transporting visitors, including journalists, to Bajo Chiquito to see how the community was coping under a crush of migrants who arrived daily by the hundreds, and at times, thousands.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
As research advances and deployments grow through 2026 and beyond, dynamic on-the-move EV charging is becoming an increasingly plausible part of the future transport landscape—advancing one corridor, one region, and one innovation at a time.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Kolomoisky and his associates challenged the move’s legality while the bank has alleged that its previous owners, Kolomoisky and his partners, embezzled billions from the bank’s coffers.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
To increase humidity, consider using a plant humidifier or relocating the plant to areas of the home with higher moisture, such as the bathroom.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Another important detail to note about Carmel for anyone considering relocating there is the cost of housing.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shifting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shifting. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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