1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

shrug 1 of 2

noun

Definition of shrugnext
as in wave

Related Words

Relevance

shrug

2 of 2

verb

as in to flourish

Related 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 shrug
Noun
And in a place where celebrity passersby and visiting monarchs typically get the same collective shrug, a certain exuberance appeared. — ABC News, 2 July 2026 So when Clark two-putted on the 18th green underneath a beautiful, orange Hamptons sky, the reaction could be at best described as a tepid, ambivalent shrug of applause. — Brody Miller, New York Times, 22 June 2026
Verb
The problem was that voters seemed to shrug at the revelation, perhaps even then distrustful of politicians in general. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 July 2026 Ana mostly shrugs it off and heads home to her husband, Luis (Louis Ferreira). — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shrug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrug
  1. wave
  2. flourish
  3. inform
  4. nod
  5. tell
  6. sign
  7. relate
Noun
  • The magnetic waves then interact with excitons inside the semiconductor.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Mobilization speculation Some external observers have said Russian authorities appear to have been preparing the ground for a fresh wave of military mobilization after the State Duma election, a prospect that is deeply unpopular within Russia.
    — Sam Meredith,Anniek Bao, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of wave
Verb
  • September is still too hot for this flower that flourishes during cooler weather.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The state also has a Mediterranean climate where invasive grasses, originally imported by European colonizers and their farm animals, flourish madly after winter rains and then die back during rainless summers.
    — Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of flourish
Verb
  • Instead, the shoes with Protro editions that are still wildly popular among players today have informed best practices that carry over, including collar height and offset from heel to toe.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Antonelli hurriedly informed his race engineer, Peter Bonnington, who had been regularly reminding the Italian to adhere to track limits throughout the race and to look after his car.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of inform
Verb
  • These nods to the past prove that a great design will always stand the test of time.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The style features a laced upper and branding nods to both the athletic brand and the Prada subsidiary.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of nod
Verb
  • Those sessions, and these books, are told more in real-time, as opposed to hearing a story in the past tense.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Prosecutors say Castro falsely told investigators that he had been attacked with a broom and a shovel.
    — TIM SULLIVAN, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of tell
Verb
  • One aspect of Lamont’s energy policy that Fazio declined to second-guess was the decision to sign a deal with Millstone, which was opposed by some Republicans at the time.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The Soviet Union took the islands from Japan in the final days of World War II and the ongoing dispute has prevented the countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their hostilities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of sign
Verb
  • Some contracts also limit coverage for rust, corrosion or sediment-related problems.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
  • And though the plot of Kidman’s abusive boyfriend Jimmy Angelov (played by Goran Visnjic) felt jarring to some, Dunne personally related, as his sister, actress Dominique Dunne, was murdered by her ex in 1982.
    — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of relate

Browse Nearby Words

shrouds
shrug
shrugged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrug. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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 nemesis

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All