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
Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
As the event serves as a global stage for elite athletes, attention also shifts to the evolution of the sport.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Gomes then shifts the action to a retrospective vision of the man’s life there, a lusty adventure in a tropical climate that gives rise to personal and political violence.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
Using inboard suspension from Canadian company Multimatic also shifts weight closer to the car’s center line and cuts air turbulence around the wheel arches.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2025
That money shifts college sports even further away from purity and closer to payola.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Matt Emma, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
By removing color, the focus shifts to texture, light, gesture, and gaze — emphasizing the nuances of connection and the multiplicity of what love can look like beyond normative, romanticized ideals.
—Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Some subdomains showed higher fluorescence intensity and spectral shifts, marking denser and chemically altered environments.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
The findings highlight how unevenly the recovery from the Great Recession and subsequent economic shifts have been felt across the country.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Which team members' body language shifts when certain subjects come up?
—Jennifer Kamara, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Yet, bizarrely, the TV show undercuts this angle by inventing a serial killer nurse from whole cloth, a move that shifts the blame away from systemic forces and toward a motiveless scoundrel.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Swift’s zigs and zags were well timed for cultural and technological shifts that were dissolving the very meaning of pop.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Things that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago – such as Germany changing its constitution to boost defense spending or the staunchly neutral Sweden and Finland joining NATO – are now happening because of the geopolitical shifts that were on display this week.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
That realization shifts everything.
—Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
As the event serves as a global stage for elite athletes, attention also shifts to the evolution of the sport.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Gomes then shifts the action to a retrospective vision of the man’s life there, a lusty adventure in a tropical climate that gives rise to personal and political violence.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
Using inboard suspension from Canadian company Multimatic also shifts weight closer to the car’s center line and cuts air turbulence around the wheel arches.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2025
That money shifts college sports even further away from purity and closer to payola.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
With their wireless probe, equipped with five sensors, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, the focus shifts from time to temperature.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
By removing color, the focus shifts to texture, light, gesture, and gaze — emphasizing the nuances of connection and the multiplicity of what love can look like beyond normative, romanticized ideals.
—Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Some subdomains showed higher fluorescence intensity and spectral shifts, marking denser and chemically altered environments.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
The findings highlight how unevenly the recovery from the Great Recession and subsequent economic shifts have been felt across the country.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Which team members' body language shifts when certain subjects come up?
—Jennifer Kamara, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Yet, bizarrely, the TV show undercuts this angle by inventing a serial killer nurse from whole cloth, a move that shifts the blame away from systemic forces and toward a motiveless scoundrel.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Swift’s zigs and zags were well timed for cultural and technological shifts that were dissolving the very meaning of pop.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Things that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago – such as Germany changing its constitution to boost defense spending or the staunchly neutral Sweden and Finland joining NATO – are now happening because of the geopolitical shifts that were on display this week.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shifts
Verb
-
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray has confirmed plans to pursue the death penalty, meaning Robinson will remain in custody without bail as the case moves toward trial.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Conventional engines burn fuel in a steady process, where the flame front (the area at which combustion occurs) moves smoothly through a propellant mixture to produce continuous thrust.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Lifestyles changes such as eating better, being more physically active and abstaining from alcohol may halt or even reverse the progression of MASH.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
And that changes all the old rules of perfumery.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Hoping to teach Arj a lesson about coming to terms with his own life, the well-meaning but naive Gabriel swaps Arj's life with that of Jeff's (Seth Rogen), a wealthy venture capitalist living large in a ritzy home high above the hills.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Gabriel swaps Arj and Jeff’s circumstances to show him that money alone won’t solve all his problems.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Healing does not look the same for everyone, and the way each person copes with distress can vary greatly.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
-
The help is needed and appreciated as the family still copes.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Daly noted that the Certification is part of a bigger plan to set the standard for what agility and future-readiness means in the automotive dealership industry.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Travelers looking for a luxurious experience at the Miami airport — and have the means to pay for it — will get a new private terminal opening in 2026.—
D.A. Varela,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Yet, Bilkie said, short-term market movements, like the decline in April, can serve as a reminder to review and rebalance portfolios.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
This may seem like an odd fit, but the Shakers differentiated themselves with their erratic movements (like shaking, hence the name), song, and dance while praying, so the genre proves to be an organic choice.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That could mean preserving the Seaquarium’s aquarium as an attraction while the Dolphin Company relocates or sells to competitors the dolphins, sea lions and other mammals that have long been the stars of the park.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
-
In real estate, a neighborhood can be overlooked for years until a new transit line opens or a major employer relocates nearby.—
Jack Mullen,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shifts. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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