shrug

1 of 2

verb

ˈshrəg How to pronounce shrug (audio)
 especially Southern  ˈsrəg
shrugged; shrugging

intransitive verb

: to raise or draw in the shoulders especially to express aloofness, indifference, or uncertainty

transitive verb

: to lift or contract (the shoulders) especially to express aloofness, indifference, or uncertainty

shrug

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act of shrugging
2
: a woman's small waist-length or shorter jacket

Examples of shrug in a Sentence

Verb I asked if he wanted to go out to dinner, and he just shrugged. He just shrugged his shoulders.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Courtney shrugged and sat down on the bench, digging her book out of her bag. Literary Hub, 23 July 2025 The tariff rates announced on Liberation Day resulted in a series of similar, shrugging admissions. Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
Noun
When the owner of this restaurant group warns salmon are in danger of extinction, many shrug. Leslie Kelly, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 Now, as Trump continues to tout the policy, the economy is humming along and Wall Street is responding to each new tariff with a shrug. Max Zahn, ABC News, 19 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for shrug

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English schruggen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shrug was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrug. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

shrug

verb
ˈshrəg
shrugged; shrugging
: to draw or hunch up the shoulders usually to express doubt, uncertainty, or lack of interest
shrug noun

More from Merriam-Webster on shrug

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