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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pushes
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 shoulders Ashley Christopher, an attorney and Howard alumna whose son is a sophomore there, thinks Howard shoulders some blame. — Matt Brown, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026 Maja witnessing her parents’ difficulties, quickly learns Danish and consequently shoulders the responsibility of an adult to support them. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026 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 Teams feel uncertainty at the top, momentum slows, and the CEO quietly shoulders more stress, not less. — Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoulders
  1. assumes
  2. pushes
  3. accepts
  4. elbows
  5. bears
  6. squeezes
  7. muscles
Verb
  • All of it assumes the danger sits between the CEO and the board.
    — Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • One assumes the show will continue to give Olivia Cooke invented material during the fourth season.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of assumes
Verb
  • The new distance pushes that approach into territory more relevant to wide-area networks.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Her new project, fata morgana, pushes her sound into new territory.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pushes
Verb
  • But if a later leg of your European jaunt takes you to Austria or Slovenia, that same traveler may discover that a taxi service or local café accepts cash only.
    — TD Bank, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Sources familiar with the matter said negotiations over a potential plea agreement were ongoing and that nothing is final until Mangione accepts a deal.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of accepts
Verb
  • Montana props himself up on a utility stool for our interview, elbows on a wood table, while holding his phone in his hand.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 30 July 2026
  • But the Heat landing Giannis elbows its way to the top of our sports marquee.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026
Definition of elbows
Verb
  • Dries Van Noten created a luxe velvet tote that bears a striking resemblance to Mary Poppins’ bag (extra-large storage capacity included).
    — Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Yet historical symbols often outlive the contexts in which they were created, and the American alligator bears the imprint of a long racial history.
    — The Conversation, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bears
Verb
  • Whereas the Scranton method mainly involves molding ultrahot steel in giant forging presses, Repkon added a step in which a fast-spinning machine squeezes and rolls out the metal like clay on a potter’s wheel.
    — Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Among them, the missiles are difficult to manufacture, supply chain squeezes can interrupt production, and missile production decisions are also made years in advance.
    — James Powel, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeezes
Verb
  • Which muscles the farmer’s walk targets The move works nearly the entire body, but leg muscles, the core and shoulder muscles carry most of the load.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
  • One year later, the XFL muscles its way onto the national sports scene with its first two games.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Definition of muscles

Phrases Containing shoulders

Browse Nearby Words

shouldering
shoulders
shout
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Cite this Entry

“Shoulders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoulders. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shoulders

Nglish: Translation of shoulders for Spanish Speakers

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