1
as in moves
to change the place or position of
he shifted the vase closer to the wall so that it wouldn't get knocked over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in twitches
to change one's position
she shifted uncomfortably in her seat throughout the interview
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in changes
to pass from one form, state, or level to another
she watched the aurora in fascination as its colors shifted from green to blue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in swaps
to give up (something) and take something else in return
my brother and I shifted seats just before takeoff so that he could sit by the window
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in copes
to meet one's day-to-day needs
left the others to shift for themselves
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in means
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
desperate shifts to stave off financial disaster
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in movements
the act or an instance of changing position
made a small shift to the left to make more room on the bench
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 shifts
Staff, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
The jet stream also shifts northward, typically pushing winter storms toward the Pacific Northwest and Canada while leaving swaths of California drier than average, especially in the south.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Installed within the Westchester Regional Library, a Brutalist structure defined by raw concrete and geometric weight, the exhibition also shifts the context in which the work is encountered.
—Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
But over time, therapy often shifts.
—Ana Jarzin, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
The victory evens the best-of-seven first-round playoff series as it shifts to Anaheim for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday at Honda Center.
—Jason Hills, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Whether the exhibition shifts attention back to the art—and away from the circumstances that produced it—will become clearer when the Biennale opens next month.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Amid these changes, former directors and national leaders in science expressed concern about the trajectory of the agency and its independence as the administration shifts its funding priorities.
—Fiona Bork, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2026
But just as quickly, the moment shifts.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Dana Taylor, USA Today, 19 May 2026
Wind appears in both poetic and dramatic moments, along with shifts in light, sunsets, and so on.
—Ben Croll, Variety, 19 May 2026
The Treasure Valley has grown massively in the last few years, and while some changes have been obvious – like a boom in housing and congested traffic – other shifts haven't been as visible.
—Mark Dee
may 19, Idaho Statesman, 19 May 2026
Under Cassidy, Roy earned a reputation as a reliable player capable of winning playoff shifts.
—Nate Peterson, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
Catching these aggressive sentiment shifts in real time is incredibly difficult for any human trader.
—Nishant Pant, CNBC, 19 May 2026
El Niño winters in Chicagoland are typically warmer than normal with below-average snowfall as the polar jet stream shifts farther north into Canada.
—David Yeomans, CBS News, 19 May 2026
As distribution pipelines narrow and the theatrical landscape shifts, festivals have become more critical than ever — not just as launching pads, but as lifelines for independent cinema.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
For some patients, especially those already navigating hormonal shifts in perimenopause and menopause, the threshold is lower.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 12 May 2026
Verb
Tech giant Cisco is planning to eliminate thousands of jobs as the company shifts its primary focus to accelerate its artificial intelligence initiatives, a move that comes despite the company beating earnings expectations.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
The jet stream also shifts northward, typically pushing winter storms toward the Pacific Northwest and Canada while leaving swaths of California drier than average, especially in the south.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Installed within the Westchester Regional Library, a Brutalist structure defined by raw concrete and geometric weight, the exhibition also shifts the context in which the work is encountered.
—Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
But over time, therapy often shifts.
—Ana Jarzin, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
The victory evens the best-of-seven first-round playoff series as it shifts to Anaheim for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday at Honda Center.
—Jason Hills, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Whether the exhibition shifts attention back to the art—and away from the circumstances that produced it—will become clearer when the Biennale opens next month.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Amid these changes, former directors and national leaders in science expressed concern about the trajectory of the agency and its independence as the administration shifts its funding priorities.
—Fiona Bork, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2026
But just as quickly, the moment shifts.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
Joining me to discuss rising production costs, shifts in viewing preferences, and the demise of one of the pillars of late night television is USA TODAY TV Critic Kelly Lawler.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 19 May 2026
Wind appears in both poetic and dramatic moments, along with shifts in light, sunsets, and so on.
—Ben Croll, Variety, 19 May 2026
The Treasure Valley has grown massively in the last few years, and while some changes have been obvious – like a boom in housing and congested traffic – other shifts haven't been as visible.
—Mark Dee
may 19, Idaho Statesman, 19 May 2026
Under Cassidy, Roy earned a reputation as a reliable player capable of winning playoff shifts.
—Nate Peterson, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
Catching these aggressive sentiment shifts in real time is incredibly difficult for any human trader.
—Nishant Pant, CNBC, 19 May 2026
El Niño winters in Chicagoland are typically warmer than normal with below-average snowfall as the polar jet stream shifts farther north into Canada.
—David Yeomans, CBS News, 19 May 2026
As distribution pipelines narrow and the theatrical landscape shifts, festivals have become more critical than ever — not just as launching pads, but as lifelines for independent cinema.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
For some patients, especially those already navigating hormonal shifts in perimenopause and menopause, the threshold is lower.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 12 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shifts
Verb
-
Mercury enters Gemini and moves through your 3rd House of Communication, waking up conversations, messages, and the small decisions that shape your day.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
-
Once the midweek cold front moves through, a better chance for more areas to see wet weather comes Wednesday afternoon.—
Rachael Jay,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Persistent muscle twitches Everyone’s muscles twitch from time to time, usually at various locations.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The indoor-to-outdoor design overlooking the Pacific Ocean changes the rhythm of dinner entirely.—
Corein Carter,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Inspired by the muted colors and shifting light of arid West Texas, the palette gives the interiors an inviting appearance that changes subtly throughout the day.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Hethington swaps the sliced plantain for his own pasta, made primarily with puréed plantains, some tapioca starch and a little bit of all-purpose flour.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
Tom Holland swaps his padel for a HexClad pan while hosting his 2nd Annual Bero Padel Classic on April 29 in Los Angeles.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Annie as played by Tess Barthélémy copes in two ways with being surrounded by caricaturish oppressors.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
18 May 2026
-
Another interesting storyline will be how El Hadji Malick Diouf copes with Saka’s attacking threat down the Arsenal right.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The rooms The rooms here were last renovated in 2017—just a hair earlier than Four Seasons One Dalton Street’s rooms, which opened in 2019, but are by no means old or inferior.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 May 2026
-
Some viewers even felt its liberal use of absurdity in fact grounded the show in the real world compared to the high-minded weepies on daytime, achieving honesty through nontraditional means.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Opt for the signature Polynesian massage, which mimics soothing wave-like movements from head to toe.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
-
Those interested in following wolf activity in California can track movements through the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s online wolf tracker.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Susac continued hitting well during his five-game rehab stint, fittingly, with Triple-A Sacramento, who share the stadium with the A’s on an interim basis as the MLB franchise relocates from Oakland to Las Vegas.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2026
-
Another 5% can be applied if a series relocates to Illinois, which adds up to a possible 45% tax incentive for qualifying costs.—
Kathy A. McDonald,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shifts. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
