shoulder

verb

Definition of shouldernext
1
as in to accept
to take to or upon oneself agreed to shoulder the burden of caring for their elderly father

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to push
to force one's way shouldered through the crowd at the bar and ordered a drink

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 shoulder Their three adult children also shouldered the load following the shooting. — Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 The Kremlin may intend the measure as a way to pressure companies to shoulder more responsibility for air defense, as Russia’s vast territory is hard to protect. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 Neighborhoods like Fordham in the Bronx and East New York in Brooklyn are asked to shoulder the city’s housing needs, while large portions of Manhattan and Northeast Queens are largely off the hook. — David Schwartz, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026 But finding a role for a fifth linebacker on the team, specifically when everyone besides Devin Lloyd will have to shoulder at least a little special teams responsibilities, can be difficult. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shoulder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoulder
  1. accept
  2. push
  3. assume
  4. elbow
  5. bear
  6. squeeze
  7. undertake
Verb
  • California's next governor will ultimately determine whether to accept or reject the board's recommendation.
    — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The network’s announcement did not mention who from the band would be on hand to accept the award.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of accept
Verb
  • There was skepticism about Vizzina, who threw only 105 passes in his first three years at Clemson and then was pushed by true freshman Tait Reynolds for the starting role in preseason camp.
    — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The August rally pushed sugar futures ahead of the S&P 500 on a year-to-date basis.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of push
Verb
  • On the other hand, some royal enthusiasts believe Meghan won’t be as reckless as people assume.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than assuming one is more affordable or comprehensive than the other, compare the specific coverages, exclusions, deductibles, premiums and repair-shop requirements between any two plans.
    — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of assume
Verb
  • If wrist injuries are the most feared in the sport, then elbow injuries might be equal second, with shoulders.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Her elbow-and-punch combination to finish Yan Xiaonan was epic.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of elbow
Verb
  • The Guinea-born forward has a very different profile to Moore and Smith.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The timing of the vaccination allows for protective maternal antibodies from the vaccine to be passed to babies who are then born during RSV season.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of bear
Verb
  • As more homes come onto the market and mortgage rates remain elevated, sellers are increasingly adjusting prices to attract buyers who have been squeezed by affordability challenges.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The surge has raised concerns that higher gasoline prices could squeeze household budgets and weigh on consumer spending.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • Similar redistricting efforts were undertaken in Texas and North Carolina by Republicans, and in California by Democrats.
    — Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Also, about a third of the league’s teams are adding new stadiums or undertaking massive renovations to existing stadiums, driving revenue growth.
    — Michael Ozanian, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of undertake

Phrases Containing shoulder

Browse Nearby Words

should
shoulder
shoulder bag
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shoulder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoulder. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on shoulder

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shoulder

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of empirical

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All