shrug 1 of 2

Definition of shrugnext

shrug

2 of 2

verb

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
Put together, the tariff as leverage for Greenland plan will be met with a shrug from Denmark, exporters that hold their prices firm, and Americans once again eating the cost. Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 There’s less Lou Reed swagger and more Paul Simon melancholy, a survey of modern American accoutrements and spiritual confusion delivered with a shrug. Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
Some people simply notice that their dreams are more intense and shrug them off. Stacey Colino, Time, 3 Nov. 2025 If South Miami-Dade commuters shrug at Metro Express, county leaders will be left having to explain why Washington and Tallahassee should back other transit projects when riders failed to embrace this one. Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shrug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrug
Noun
  • And her signature glam doesn’t stop there—Clooney is known for her thick, glossy brown mane, often blow-dried into bombshell waves.
    Hannah Coates, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The outcome is the latest warning sign ‒ and the most glaring to date ‒ of a potential blue wave during the 2026 midterms as Democrats look to take control of the House and Senate.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Scam centers proliferating as criminal gangs flout laws In Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, a failure to consistently enforce laws against human trafficking, labor abuses and criminal activities have allowed cyber-scam centers to flourish despite occasional crackdowns, the report noted.
    Elaine Kurtenbach, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Learning to harness the power of flame is arguably our most monumental technological breakthrough as a species—one that allowed Homo sapiens to flourish across the planet.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The purpose was to inform the players that the team would not be forfeiting an upcoming home match against SJSU.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The tech is also analyzing women’s health data to inform clinical approaches.
    Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Last year, Carpenter’s custom blue JW Anderson dress nodded to Shirley MacLaine’s character Louisa May Foster in the 1964 film What a Way to Go!
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
  • His communications adviser, a former investigative journalist named Bob Salladay, nodded, playing along.
    Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Mostly Mute Monday tells an astronomical story in images, visuals, and no more than 200 words.
    Big Think, Big Think, 2 Feb. 2026
  • Kate later told Mary Berry that William tried to pull out all the stops in the kitchen to impress her early on in their relationship.
    Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • After playing in a second-tier Canadian junior league, the younger Ward spent four years at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, then signed a series of minor-league and two-way deals after going undrafted.
    Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Along with Tucker, the Dodgers signed three-time All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to a three-year, $69 million deal to shore up the backend of their bullpen.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Reconciliation, by contrast, allowed Republicans to pass fiscal and revenue-related farm provisions with a simple majority, bypassing the filibuster and avoiding a stalemate that could have stretched on for years.
    Stephen Martin, Oklahoma Watch, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Usually episodes are five segments long—one, three, and five are dance/music related, and two and four are food, culture, nature, something interesting that's completely unique to the destination.
    Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shrug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrug. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.

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