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
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 shifts
La'tasha Givens,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
This pivotal 106th career triumph dramatically shifts the narrative, proving Hamilton remains a serious championship contender.
—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
19 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.
—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
That also shifts Jonah Savaiinaea from left guard to right guard going into his second season.
—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
That balance shifts some the farther out Nielsen measures — after 28 and 35 days, about half of the top shows are exclusive to streaming services (not including sports).
—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
The ordinance shifts the burden in eviction cases.
—
Gabby Sartori,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
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
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
If survivability and the ability to penetrate advanced air defenses are the primary criteria, the advantage shifts toward stealth bombers such as the B-2 and B-21.
—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
23 June 2026
Antonella Capelli, Lectra’s president for EMEA, emphasized the growing importance of trend data in a fast-changing fashion landscape shaped by global economic and consumer shifts.
—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
23 June 2026
And in the six years since the pandemic forced California and other employers to embrace telework, Sacramento’s urban core, home to many of the state’s office buildings, has undergone fundamental shifts.
—
Sacbee.com,
23 June 2026
Also, one of the big themes of Homeric scholarship over the past few decades has been the flexibility of the narrative perspectives in the original poems and the subtlety of the narrative shifts.
—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 June 2026
Cancel unused subscriptions, negotiate recurring bills, pick up extra shifts or sell unused items around your home.
—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
The conversation shifts away from a pure spec comparison and toward what the product represents.
—
Ali Aydan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Singh said that many of his employees park in the North F Street lot during their shifts.
—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Verb
However, curators say that framing fans as fine art intentionally shifts the perception of what a world-class museum can present.
—
La'tasha Givens,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
This pivotal 106th career triumph dramatically shifts the narrative, proving Hamilton remains a serious championship contender.
—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
19 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.
—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
That also shifts Jonah Savaiinaea from left guard to right guard going into his second season.
—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
That balance shifts some the farther out Nielsen measures — after 28 and 35 days, about half of the top shows are exclusive to streaming services (not including sports).
—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
The ordinance shifts the burden in eviction cases.
—
Gabby Sartori,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
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
Noun
Still, for all the familiarity and the sturdy nature of the advance, some macro shifts and internal stirrings are worthy of some attention, especially as global tech stocks face a bit of a shakeout overnight Tuesday .
—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
If survivability and the ability to penetrate advanced air defenses are the primary criteria, the advantage shifts toward stealth bombers such as the B-2 and B-21.
—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
23 June 2026
Antonella Capelli, Lectra’s president for EMEA, emphasized the growing importance of trend data in a fast-changing fashion landscape shaped by global economic and consumer shifts.
—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
23 June 2026
And in the six years since the pandemic forced California and other employers to embrace telework, Sacramento’s urban core, home to many of the state’s office buildings, has undergone fundamental shifts.
—
Sacbee.com,
23 June 2026
Also, one of the big themes of Homeric scholarship over the past few decades has been the flexibility of the narrative perspectives in the original poems and the subtlety of the narrative shifts.
—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 June 2026
Cancel unused subscriptions, negotiate recurring bills, pick up extra shifts or sell unused items around your home.
—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
The conversation shifts away from a pure spec comparison and toward what the product represents.
—
Ali Aydan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Singh said that many of his employees park in the North F Street lot during their shifts.
—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shifts
Verb
-
If the plant moves forward to the construction stage, the expenditures will not be recovered through local electric utility customer rates or consumer bills.
-
This risk decreases as the storm moves away.
Verb
-
Persistent muscle twitches Everyone’s muscles twitch from time to time, usually at various locations.
-
Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.
Verb
-
Rom-coms aren’t always known for being terribly sexy but San Francisco native Leah McKendrick changes all than it her Netflix valentine to San Francisco.
-
Within Anthropic, Claude Tag is already approving and incorporating 65% of the code changes the product team submits, according to Wu.
Verb
-
In the new Prime Video series, Lexi Minetree plays the iconic character, who must adapt to a new high school as her family swaps Bel-Air for dreary Seattle.
-
This summery twist on the decadent Italian dessert swaps out espresso and marsala for homemade berry syrup and fruit liqueur.
Verb
-
Hollis buries herself in work in an attempt to escape her complicated grief, while aspiring filmmaker Caroline copes by making snarky remarks and bristling at her mom's efforts to connect.
-
Gemini copes through logic and distraction, while Pisces feels everything at once.
Noun
-
But that may also make Iranian oil less attractive to China, which has been buying it at a discount because Iran under sanctions has few other means to sell.
-
None of these senior members of this genocidal regime are good guys, by any means.
Noun
-
Flapping flight dominates the airborne movements of flying insects, but birds can also glide and soar.
-
Yield movements may instead focus on the manner of Starmer's departure, rather than the policies of the successor, April LaRusse, head of investment specialists at Insight Investment, wrote in a note.
Verb
-
Released in 2004, Mean Girls starred Lohan as Cady Heron, who, after years of being homeschooled, relocates with her family from Africa and begins attending high school in the States.
-
The series follows the Clyburns, a wealthy New York City family who relocates to Montana’s Madison River Valley following the deaths of family patriarch Preston (Russell) and his brother Paul (Fox), who were killed in a plane crash.
Cite this Entry
“Shifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shifts. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
