shouldering

verb

present participle of shoulder
1
as in accepting
to take to or upon oneself agreed to shoulder the burden of caring for their elderly father

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pushing
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 shouldering Kalen DeBoer and Marcus Freeman each have title game appearances, but DeBoer is shouldering the weight of following Nick Saban at Alabama and has seen his stock trend slightly downward the last two years. — Chris Vannini, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Electricity bills have gone up in Quincy, but large industrial customers like data centers are shouldering the burden. — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 Investors recognize that the good returns enjoyed by equity owners are – or should be – compensation for shouldering a genuine hazard of interim loss. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026 In other words, people are more likely to win lawsuits and, in doing so, can avoid shouldering the burden of medical costs on their own. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 State regulators have been working with utility companies to prevent residential ratepayers and small businesses from shouldering the burden of paying for the power infrastructure upgrades necessary to accommodate data center demand. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 4 Aug. 2026 Sholl also notes that the largest station groups may not immediately rush to buy competitors because many of the most logical acquirers are already shouldering a lot of debt. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 23 July 2026 Four years on from the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has proved remarkably resilient, shouldering sanctions, rocketing inflation, and depleted fiscal reserves. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 30 June 2026 Those states whose food-stamp programs exceed that threshold will be on the hook for shouldering more of the program's costs starting in October 2027. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shouldering
  1. accepting
  2. pushing
  3. assuming
  4. squeezing
  5. bearing
  6. undertaking
Verb
  • At least two San Francisco home listings seen by CNN this spring said the sellers would consider accepting shares of OpenAI or Anthropic as payment.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The shelter is still accepting stray animals, Cannon said, but due to space limitations, they’re limited in their ability to accept owner surrenders.
    — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of accepting
Verb
  • The state last week filed documents pushing back on Murdaugh’s request to send DNA found under Maggie’s fingernails to an independent laboratory for more advanced testing.
    — Devon M. Sayers, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • As thousands of car enthusiasts prepare to descend on Metro Detroit for the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, a Michigan lawmaker is pushing legislation to crack down on excessively loud vehicles.
    — Terell Bailey, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pushing
Verb
  • His immediate tasks since assuming the top job have been sustaining momentum in Disney's core growth areas, namely its theme parks and streaming divisions.
    — Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In a sense, the proof shows that a world in which love never returns is a world whose geometry tears itself apart—assuming, of course, the proof holds up.
    — Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of assuming
Verb
  • Squeeze your glutes, engage your core and drive your heels into the floor to raise your hips up to the ceiling while gently squeezing the ball.
    — Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Google hasn't explained the cut, but the timing lines up with the same memory and AI infrastructure costs squeezing pricing across the entire industry this year.
    — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeezing
Verb
  • Humanitarian aid to Afghanistan – which is needed by approximately 45% of the population – has been dramatically cut by international donors since the Taliban returned to power, with women and girls bearing the brunt of those cuts.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Local legend has it that Saint Gregory once visited the estate and this wine is made from 20 percent Garnacha Blanca grapes grown in the vineyard bearing his name with the balance of 80 percent Viura sourced from the bodega’s other vineyards.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of bearing
Verb
  • With the addition of more space, the school this year is undertaking a new dual-language program for more than 300 multilingual students, according to Kenyon Woods’ new Principal Jennifer Reyes, who previously helmed Abbott Middle School in Elgin.
    — Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • However, CheckSammy is best for households renovating or undertaking major decluttering.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 July 2026
Definition of undertaking

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Cite this Entry

“Shouldering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shouldering. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of shouldering for Spanish Speakers

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