Synonyms of shoulders

shoulders

verb

present tense third-person singular of shoulder

1

as in assumes

to take to or upon oneself

agreed to shoulder the burden of caring for their elderly father

Synonyms & Similar Words

• assumes
• accepts
• bears
• undertakes
• embraces
• takes over
• backs
• adopts
• advocates
• stands by
• champions
• supports
• takes up
• endorses
• upholds
• consents
• agrees
• espouses
• acquiesces
• assents
• accedes
• reassumes
• reaccepts

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• refuses
• disclaims
• withdraws
• repudiates
• turns down
• disavows
• retracts
• disowns
• takes back
• rejects
• renounces
• declines
• abjures
• avoids
• spurns
• recants
• refrains (from)
• abstains (from)
• bypasses
• unsays
• relinquishes
• forbears
• detours
• forsakes
• gives up
• backs off
• backs down
• abandons
• surrenders
• backtracks
• abnegates

2

as in pushes

to force one's way

shouldered through the crowd at the bar and ordered a drink

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pushes
• elbows
• squeezes
• muscles
• bulls
• presses
• jams
• shoves
• bores
• crashes
• jostles
• thrusts
• bulldozes
• rams

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shoulders

In the run-up to the summit, Erdogan described Turkey as a reliable ally that consistently shoulders responsibility on NATO’s southeastern flank and will continue to play a leading role in the alliance. — ABC News, 1 July 2026

Pulisic, who shoulders the heaviest load for the USMNT, split two defenders and poked a pass to Weston McKennie, who seemed to be trying to send a cross across the goal. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 13 June 2026

The least productive line of the four against Minnesota was the second unit, but that trio also shoulders significant defensive responsibilities. — Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 20 May 2026

Cunningham shoulders the weight of a city thirsty for meaningful basketball. — Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026

Charismatic and charming as ever, Gosling easily shoulders the job of being the only human onscreen for an epoch. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026

There is great skepticism about Ellison’s ability to make the high-wire act work while Paramount Skydance shoulders a mountain of debt supplied by a consortium that includes Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds. — Brent Lang, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026

Teams feel uncertainty at the top, momentum slows, and the CEO quietly shoulders more stress, not less. — Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Buckley shoulders intense on-screen distress without losing grasp of her character’s humanity, and Mescal lets his wan charm melt into something more haunted as Shakespeare ages and wrestles with loss. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2025

Phrases Containing shoulders

• head and shoulders
• rub shoulders (with)
• rub shoulders