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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in twitches
to change one's position
she shifted uncomfortably in her seat throughout the interview
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
5
as in copes
to meet one's day-to-day needs
left the others to shift for themselves
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in means
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
desperate shifts to stave off financial disaster
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shifts
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 5 June 2026
Can Carolina rebound and tie the series before it shifts to Las Vegas?
—Tim Rohan, NBC news, 4 June 2026
Changing either of those factors measurably shifts the outcome.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
Florida’s property tax system already shifts billions in property taxes from homesteads to non-homestead property.
—Jeff Kottkamp, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 June 2026
The plan also shifts $79 million in sales tax revenue from candy, soft drinks and grooming products — money that normally funds capital construction — into the operating budget.
—Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
The bridge between a good decision and a great one, the kind that meaningfully shifts an organization's trajectory, is often a good night's sleep.
—Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Red herrings are prevalent in the subgenre, and suspects come and go, leading to a late-stage revelation that suddenly shifts everything into place.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
The jet stream also shifts northward, typically pushing winter storms toward the Pacific Northwest and Canada while leaving swaths of California drier than average, especially in the south.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
ABC News, 9 June 2026
On Monday morning, 10,000 to 15,000 ballots were processed by lunchtime, with San Mateo's two shifts of workers keeping the operation running about 16 hours per day.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 9 June 2026
San Jose officials said Piercy earned his overtime pay by filling vacant shifts on the fire department’s paramedic, hazardous incident and fire engineer teams, which maintain and operate firefighting equipment, among other duties.
—Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
The shifts were so profound that even the revolution’s leaders didn’t expect or want them.
—Hillel Italie, Fortune, 9 June 2026
Xbox and Paramount made news with strategic shifts and an executive appointment.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 9 June 2026
That meant not only more extreme shifts between horror, humor, and heart, but a larger number of characters and subplots to service.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 June 2026
While most measures didn’t see a significant change, there were some small shifts.
—Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2026
The Permanent Affordability Commitment Together, also known as PACT, shifts NYCHA buildings into a private management model that leverages capital by leasing long term to private developers.
—Jasmin Sanchez, New York Daily News, 9 June 2026
Verb
Yet what makes the storytelling so unique is how the film shifts perspectives.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 5 June 2026
Can Carolina rebound and tie the series before it shifts to Las Vegas?
—Tim Rohan, NBC news, 4 June 2026
Changing either of those factors measurably shifts the outcome.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
Florida’s property tax system already shifts billions in property taxes from homesteads to non-homestead property.
—Jeff Kottkamp, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 June 2026
The plan also shifts $79 million in sales tax revenue from candy, soft drinks and grooming products — money that normally funds capital construction — into the operating budget.
—Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
The bridge between a good decision and a great one, the kind that meaningfully shifts an organization's trajectory, is often a good night's sleep.
—Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Red herrings are prevalent in the subgenre, and suspects come and go, leading to a late-stage revelation that suddenly shifts everything into place.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
The jet stream also shifts northward, typically pushing winter storms toward the Pacific Northwest and Canada while leaving swaths of California drier than average, especially in the south.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Noun
While researchers are still studying whether those changes ultimately lead to long-term academic gains, many school leaders say the cultural shifts alone have made the policies worthwhile.
—ABC News, 9 June 2026
On Monday morning, 10,000 to 15,000 ballots were processed by lunchtime, with San Mateo's two shifts of workers keeping the operation running about 16 hours per day.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 9 June 2026
San Jose officials said Piercy earned his overtime pay by filling vacant shifts on the fire department’s paramedic, hazardous incident and fire engineer teams, which maintain and operate firefighting equipment, among other duties.
—Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
The shifts were so profound that even the revolution’s leaders didn’t expect or want them.
—Hillel Italie, Fortune, 9 June 2026
Xbox and Paramount made news with strategic shifts and an executive appointment.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 9 June 2026
That meant not only more extreme shifts between horror, humor, and heart, but a larger number of characters and subplots to service.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 June 2026
While most measures didn’t see a significant change, there were some small shifts.
—Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2026
The Permanent Affordability Commitment Together, also known as PACT, shifts NYCHA buildings into a private management model that leverages capital by leasing long term to private developers.
—Jasmin Sanchez, New York Daily News, 9 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shifts
Verb
-
As the aircraft moves backward, the pilot starts each of the primary engines and brings them up to a stable idle.—
David Szondy
June 07,
New Atlas,
7 June 2026
-
Printed circuit boards are the nervous system of every modern device, and when board costs spike, the pain moves fast through phones, laptops, wearables, gaming consoles, routers, and AI servers.—
Kevin Williams,
CNBC,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Persistent muscle twitches Everyone’s muscles twitch from time to time, usually at various locations.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Repetition propels us towards one night in November of 1975 when everything changes, but not in the way the heroine (or the reader) was led to expect.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Long-term stress changes the brain affecting mood, memory, behavior, attention spans and decision-making.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
That’s the idea behind scentscaping — a growing approach to home fragrance that swaps synthetic plug-ins and aerosol sprays for natural, intentional scent.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
9 June 2026
-
The second step introduces a two-carbon form of amine (a common ingredient in a wide array of products) and a copper catalyst, which swaps amine groups in where the bromine atoms were.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Gemini copes through logic and distraction, while Pisces feels everything at once.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
26 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, Annie as played by Tess Barthélémy copes in two ways with being surrounded by caricaturish oppressors.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
He was indicted on three counts -- destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
Adding a healthy twist to the magical premise, powers in Dragon Striker are meant to be employed for athletic means.—
Allison McClain Merrill,
Parents,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Whatever the account, these are poems that have not simply endured time, but have mastered it, capturing it in their movements, their tides.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
And its use of initiatives to restrict immigration has served as an inspiration to right-wing movements in Europe.—
Jessi Jezewska Stevens,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
When her mother’s job (Longoria) relocates them to Majorca, Ry sees this as her chance for a coming-of-age story.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
-
The Paramount+ drama series follows a New York family that relocates to rural Montana after a family tragedy.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
21 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shifts. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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