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
Asked how exactly the group came together, Godrich and Harrison look at each other across a picnic table and shrug. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 The bolero, a hyper-cropped layer that’s one step away from a shrug, gets zero respect. — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
Now, on the face of it, this might be the sort of situation where the casual fan might shrug and make some sort of comment about ‘tacticos’ overcomplicating the game. — Jon MacKenzie, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Once, when the curd did not set, Jaya Aunty did not do what Nidhi’s mother would have done—namely, shrug her shoulders and nip out to the store for a couple of squishy packets. — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shrug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrug
Noun
  • The Ukrainian capital endured a noisy night as 21 ballistic missiles came in three waves, Zelenskyy said, smashing apartment buildings, energy facilities, a railway station and the Kyiv subway system, shopping malls and businesses.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • While the market is riding a wave of success, John doesn’t gloss over the grim outlook of the fishing and seafood industry as a whole.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Spring was coming fast and everything was beginning to flourish.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Perennials that are flourishing in your garden can remain tall.
    — Macie Stump, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The report stated the test was not aimed at any country or specific target, and that relevant governments were informed ahead of time.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The mass sampling and real-time information gathering on prediction markets can extend their utility to informing business decisions, according to Zitzewitz.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Salazar smiled and nodded, pointing at the man who was filming, an activist named Thomas Kennedy.
    — Daniel Castro, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Nina nodded and looked across the restaurant to watch two tall women, flight attendants, striding resolutely through the concourse, their legs in perfect rhythm.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Lamm told TechCrunch that conventional breeding can produce dogs with poor eyesight or genetic predispositions to cancer.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Beirut City Pop, the latest compilation by archival label Habibi Funk, tells the story of the artists who dared to imagine a life beyond war.
    — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Building 1,600 stores at once Once the leases are signed, Spirit has to fill them.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Pirates, Meyer said, do not spend all the money they are allotted to sign draft picks.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • His interview with O’Donnell relates his story—a faulty parachute, a tough crash, a long bloody hike, and survival until he was rescued by an American plane—in a genuinely moving way.
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The high amount of overtime at the mental health department is related mainly to nurses working at the state’s mental health hospitals, Whiting and Connecticut Valley Hospital, which are both in Middletown.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrug. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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