Synonyms of shifts

shifts 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shift

1

as in moves

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

• moves
• relocates
• transfers
• removes
• transports
• disturbs
• transposes
• displaces
• conveys
• repositions
• replaces
• carries
• hauls
• dislocates
• drives
• budges
• transmits
• alters
• transplants
• varies
• modifies
• carts
• supersedes
• lugs
• supplants
• revises
• reworks
• bears
• totes
• remakes
• makes over
• remodels
• revamps
• refashions
• redoes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sets
• stabilizes
• freezes
• fixes
• secures
• anchors
• roots
• embeds
• moors
• lodges
• implants
• entrenches
• ingrains

2

as in twitches

to change one's position

she shifted uncomfortably in her seat throughout the interview

Synonyms & Similar Words

• moves
• twitches
• squirms
• stirs
• fidgets
• locomotes
• wiggles
• budges
• tosses
• writhes
• jiggles
• fiddles
• wriggles
• rouses
• squiggles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• freezes
• remains
• stays
• stills
• hangs around
• stabilizes
• sticks around
• tarries

3

as in changes

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

• changes
• varies
• fluctuates
• morphs
• mutates
• snaps
• improves
• transmutes
• deteriorates
• metamorphoses
• turns around
• worsens
• vacillates
• wavers
• betters
• seesaws
• teeters

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stabilizes
• plateaus

4

as in swaps

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

• swaps
• exchanges
• changes
• trades
• substitutes
• switches
• replaces
• commutes
• supersedes
• interchanges
• displaces
• yields
• cedes
• surrenders
• reciprocates
• hands over

5

as in copes

to meet one's day-to-day needs

left the others to shift for themselves

Synonyms & Similar Words

• copes
• does
• manages
• survives
• fares
• makes shift
• gets along
• gets by
• gets on
• makes ends meet
• makes out
• affords
• makes do
• scrounges
• fends for oneself
• carries on
• contrives
• scrapes (by or through)
• lasts
• squeezes
• scrapes (out)
• ekes out
• swings
• wrests
• wrings

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collapses
• fails
• falls short
• declines
• wanes
• slumps
• flounders
• fizzles
• gives up
• peters (out)

shifts

2 of 2

noun

plural of shift

1

as in means

an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result

desperate shifts to stave off financial disaster

Synonyms & Similar Words

• means
• measures
• moves
• steps
• efforts
• resources
• things
• attempts
• actions
• activities
• procedures
• acts
• processes
• initiatives
• expedients
• dealings
• works
• goes
• tries
• operations
• feats
• projects
• doings
• proceedings
• proposals
• events
• deeds
• coups
• successes
• passes
• accomplishments
• cracks
• enterprises
• triumphs
• exploits
• pains
• endeavors
• courses
• exertions
• achievements
• affairs
• attainments
• troubles
• undertakings
• propositions
• essays
• businesses
• stabs
• trials
• countermeasures
• labors
• resorts
• flings
• whacks
• shots
• whiles
• countermoves
• countersteps
• makeshifts
• stopgaps

2

as in movements

the act or an instance of changing position

made a small shift to the left to make more room on the bench

Synonyms & Similar Words

• moves
• movements
• motions
• stirrings
• stirs
• migrations
• relocations
• dislocations
• squirms
• mobilities
• locomotions
• motilities
• motivities
• fiddlings

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• inertias
• stops
• immobilities
• pauses
• lapses
• finishes
• stoppages
• shutdowns
• terminations
• endings
• halts
• discontinuances
• expirations
• cessations
• shutoffs
• surceases

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shifts

Verb

Rarely anyone shifts the relationship to eventually sit down and ask attendees for their best gift. — Sherry Quam Taylor, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

The evolution of strategies can lead to stable populations, bistable populations (where the population flips between two stable strategies), or limit cycles, where the population shifts continuously among multiple strategies. — Chris Lee, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026

Try meeting their needs first and see if their behavior shifts. — Juli Fraga, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026

Translation is a mutation of language, but not direct replication; something happens in the process that shifts the direction of the ideas. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026

When its waters warm in just the right places, the jet stream — the fast-moving river of air that steers storms — often shifts its path. — Sarah Moore, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026

The film joins Totem’s sales slate as the company shifts its primary focus to production. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 July 2026

For California, this typically shifts the winter jet stream farther south, potentially bringing more storms to Southern California, according to NOAA. — Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

The new investment now shifts the company’s focus from proving the technology to producing it at a scale suitable for future defense and aerospace programs. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 July 2026

Noun

The lightweight compression socks are highly recommended by flight attendants, pilots, marathoners, and nurses who spend 12-hour shifts making rounds across hard hospital floors. — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2026

Hair loss in women can be caused by many things, including your genetics, illnesses, nutritional deficiencies, physiological stress and shifts in hormones. — Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026

My gaze shifts to the X-shape steering wheel, which echoes the design motif of the rear fascia and spoiler. — Sean Evans, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2026

The challenge is separating useful signals from noise while staying open to significant shifts in direction. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

The focus shifts away from the sitter’s individuality and toward the richness and refinement of his attire, which undoubtedly conveys his status and pride. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026

This population reflects broader shifts away from institutional religious authority in favor of personal experience. — Morgan Shipley, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026

With those shifts, more apartments and homes are needed in Connecticut even if the overall population is not skyrocketing. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026

The timing of the payments corresponded with unusual shifts in Netanyahu’s policies. — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026