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
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 The culprit — wearing tinted hippie glasses, a white tank top and a flower-print skirt — responded with a sheepish shrug and a smile. Antonio Ferme, Variety, 14 June 2026
Verb
If Brendan didn’t have NFL arm, Bubba Bootstraps would shrug and look the other way. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 10 June 2026 One of the reasons these kit-ranking articles usually work is, for the most part, there are typically enough good ones to gush over, enough middling ones to shrug about, and enough bad ones to have some slightly snidey fun in giving them a kicking. Nick Miller, New York Times, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shrug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrug
Noun
  • Behind the scenes, White House officials have spent months waving Kennedy off his vaccine agenda amid a historic wave of measles infections.
    Amanda Seitz, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Sierra’s decision created waves as Rubenstein had supported an audit of the pension fund and its expenses.
    Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Normally these spots are produced by a fungus that flourishes during hot, damp and humid weather.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
  • His relationship with Amad, too, is flourishing as the Ivorian grows in confidence in pre-season.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Clemson football posted a video on X in which Wilson, who walked on for the Tigers, informed his parents that he had just been awarded a scholarship.
    Hunter DeLauder, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Panettiere said that the writers and producers of the series used her experiences to inform her character’s storylines.
    Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Interiors are a fresh take on classic British West Indies elegance, nodding to the overall aesthetic of Little Palm’s past but re-interpreting it as tropical chic of the present.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The set included an Air Jordan 11 and an Air Jordan 6, nodding to Jordan’s 1991 and 1996 championship wins.
    Riley Jones, Footwear News, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The study of a patient’s urine was an extremely popular practice in the Middle Ages, even though doctors could tell precious little about what was ailing someone just by looking at a sample in a jar.
    T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Backstage, Kenny Omega calls the Don Callis Family bullies and tells them to pick any three members to face him and The Young Bucks, who are standing beside Omega, next week.
    Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The countries have held joint military drills and signed a nuclear power development pact and agreed to cooperate in human space flight projects including the selection and training of Myanmar’s first cosmonaut.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Eight-time Pro Bowl linebacker Von Miller is expected to sign with the Dallas Cowboys.
    Johnny Resendiz, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Fire officials said the fire appeared to be cooking-related, and investigators are still determining what caused it.
    Jose Fabian, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Plenty among us, as our country commits atrocities across the globe, might relate.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrug. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on shrug

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