shafts

Definition of shaftsnext
plural of shaft
1
as in beams
a narrow sharply defined line of light radiating from an object shafts of late-afternoon sunlight pierced the blinds and streaked the floor

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2
as in spears
a weapon with a long straight handle and sharp head or blade the footmen set their shafts so as to form a bank of steel against the enemy's charging cavalry

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3
as in injustices
unfair or inadequate treatment of someone or something or an instance of this the homeowners who were bought out are convinced they got the shaft in that deal

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 shafts While rare earths will be the primary focus, exploration will also assess the potential for gold mining — the area is dotted with old, small-scale adits and shafts. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026 The mine shafts oblige them generously, particularly after a bender or a jilting. Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026 That list includes several top-20 players and notables playing the brand’s popular iron shafts, such as Lydia Ko (KBS VX Lite 90) and Hye-Jin Choi (PGI 90). Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026 Its core structure includes a long spiral access tunnel, three vertical shafts, and two horizontal levels, reaching a depth of about 1,840 feet. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 27 Dec. 2025 The condition of caskets, artifacts and human remains varied, said Stantec archeologist Ryan Peterson, noting that the number human remains found does not equal the number of grave shafts. Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 14 Nov. 2025 Stairwells and elevator shafts acted like chimneys, and the absence of emergency lighting, signage and alternative exits prevented the safe evacuation of the hotel’s 238 guests, the indictment said. CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025 In the past, some radioactive fallout has leaked from test shafts. Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shafts
Noun
  • Throughout the property, the original building's bones— beams, tiles, pillars, and window frames—were gently restored to show their age and patina, not conceal it.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
  • When these rapidly spinning neutron stars blast out radiation from their poles, that radiation sweeps across the cosmos like beams of light from a cosmic lighthouse.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Some of the Bindjareb attempted to escape, while others grabbed their spears, and at least five Bindjareb individuals were killed in the resulting skirmish.
    Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
  • There are bundles of taut chives still topped with blossoms, sweet and tender spears of asparagus, and creamy new potatoes all waiting to be snapped up.
    Editors of Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Since then the institutions of American aging have reproduced rather than ameliorated the inequalities and injustices of the wider American economy.
    Trevor Jackson, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
  • By the middle of the summer, YLO should be prepared to work out a more systematic offensive against the injustices plaguing the Latin colony.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The latter creates a beautiful interplay of light and dark, allowing the sun’s rays to effortlessly pass through it.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Another discovery was a new chimaera — also known as a ghost shark or rat fish — a type of animal related to sharks and rays, which have cartilaginous rather than bony skeletons.
    Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Humans have been throwing javelins for a few hundred thousand years, yet performance has largely plateaued.
    R. Alexander Bentley, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The Tofinu took refuge in the lagoons along the Bight of Benin, a core area of the slave trade, venturing forth in canoes with harpoons, javelins, and swords to fight off raiders from powerful nearby kingdoms.
    Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Pharaoh admits his wrongs and asks for forgiveness.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Rabb also expresses a keen interest in learning more about the history and culture of Canada’s indigenous culture, and salutes Canada for trying to put right past wrongs.
    Vivian Song, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Warhorses charge, lances down, crashing through the tilts as lances break on shields and men topple from their steeds.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant.
    David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Speech-language pathologists work with people who have disorders involving speech, language and swallowing, sometimes from injuries, medical conditions or developmental delays.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The 15-time major champion was able to pull himself out of the passenger's side and didn't appear to suffer any significant injuries as a result of the accident.
    Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shafts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shafts. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.

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