SHOULDERED Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

shouldered

verb

past tense of shoulder

as in assumed

to take to or upon oneself agreed to shoulder the burden of caring for their elderly father

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pushed

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 shouldered But increasing fees will only add to the burden already being shouldered by residents, said Olivier Cale, who serves with Brown on the budget advisory board. — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026 Quarterback McKenzie Milton shouldered the primary burden, assembling a 37-touchdown season that scraped near Heisman talk. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 The White man, his sinewy, tattooed arms already beet-red from the sun, shouldered the cross from the center beam. — John Blake, CNN Money, 19 July 2026 A couple of residents initially shouldered the bulk of maintenance duties themselves, such as storing, moving and refilling the self-watering tanks. — Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026 The Massachusetts native has shouldered a heavy workload for the Yankees this season, making all 20 of his starts and throwing the second most innings in the AL at 118 2/3. — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 12 July 2026 But experts say the costs of the fertilizer shortage will be largely shouldered by farmers. — Joe Hernandez, NPR, 3 July 2026 That number, however, does not include the costs being shouldered by local, state and federal governments, with the Athletic reporting that the host cities were each spending upwards of $100 million to accommodate the tournament. — Brett Knight, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Since Tanner died, Shay has taken on the work of platforming colorectal cancer awareness, as well as shouldered the mantle of becoming a grief awareness advocate. — Shay Martin, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shouldered

Verb

At the extreme upper end, the study found that a maximum possible prevalence of CTE — if researchers assumed that every former football player had CTE except for the 20 whose brains had definitively been cleared of a diagnosis — was around 97%.

— Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
Taylor has quickly assumed a leadership role, with her coach using her as an example of expectations.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of assumed

Verb

The threat of shortages pushed countries across Asia to impose export bans, cut import duties, and start rationing fuel to maintain supplies.

— Katie Silver, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
The extreme heat pushed up air conditioning electricity demand, while heavy storms simultaneously dealt a blow to power supplies in parts of the country.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of pushed

Verb

The agreement had been offered last year and accepted by the official who oversees the Pentagon's Guantanamo war court, only to be revoked last August by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin amid criticism of the deal from Republican lawmakers.

— Steve Gorman, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
The sighting still needs to be accepted by the California Bird Records Committee, which reviews and confirms rare bird sightings.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of accepted

Verb

Breakfast is at Fritz & Felix, lunch is squeezed into the Wintergarten conservatory, and dinner is either ordered to my room or eaten dressed up in the restaurants.

— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Aug. 2026
Consumers show signs of strain Recent data indicate that some consumers' budgets are being squeezed.

— Lorie Konish, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of squeezed

Verb

Deetjen was president of the Oak Lawn Rotary when the club undertook the effort with the village to construct the memorial.

— Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Roger Penske's team undertook the immense challenge of building the entire circuit and facilities from scratch, navigating complex federal and local jurisdictions, a feat more intricate than the Indy 500.

— Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of undertook

Verb

As its name suggests, the beetle bores into trees, drilling tunnels to create breeding galleries.

— Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Needless to say, Parker and Stone quickly got bored with the subject, adding a subplot that saw Obama teaming up with his apparent nemesis John McCain to dig a tunnel from the Oval Office to the Smithsonian and steal the Hope Diamond.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of bore

Browse Nearby Words

shoulder bags

shouldered

shouldering

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Shouldered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shouldered. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of shouldered

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gumption

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

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

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes