shifted; shifting; shifts
1
: to exchange for or replace by another : change
2
a
: to change the place, position, or direction of : move
b
: to make a change in (place)
3
: to change phonetically
1
a
: to change place or position
b
: to change direction
the wind shifted
c
: to change gears
d
: to depress the shift key (as on a typewriter)
2
a
: to assume responsibility
had to shift for themselves
b
: to resort to expedients
3
a
: to go through a change
she shifted in her approach
b
: to change one's clothes
c
: to become changed phonetically
1
2
a
chiefly dialectal
: a change of clothes
b(1)
chiefly dialectal
: shirt
(2)
: a woman's slip or chemise
(3)
: a usually loose-fitting or semifitted dress
3
a
: a change in direction
a shift in the wind
b
: a change in emphasis, judgment, or attitude
4
a
: a group of people who work or occupy themselves in turn with other groups
b(1)
: a change of one group of people (such as workers) for another in regular alternation
(2)
: a scheduled period of work or duty
works the night shift
5
: a change in place or position: such as
a
: a change in the position of the hand on a fingerboard (as of a violin)
b(1)
(2)
: the relative displacement of rock masses on opposite sides of a fault or fault zone
c(1)
: a simultaneous change of position in football by two or more players from one side of the line to the other
(2)
: a change of positions made by one or more players in baseball to provide better defense against a particular hitter
d
: a change in frequency resulting in a change in position of a spectral line or band compare doppler effect
e
: a movement of bits in a computer register (see register entry 1 sense 9) a specified number of places to the right or left
6
: a removal from one person or thing to another : transfer
7
8
: a bid in bridge in a suit other than the suit one's partner has bid compare jump
9
Synonyms
Examples of shift in a Sentence
Verb
I shifted the bag to my other shoulder.
She shifted her position slightly so she could see the stage better.
They shifted him to a different department.
He nervously shifted from foot to foot.
She shifted in her seat.
Public opinion has shifted dramatically in recent months.
Their efforts to shift public opinion have failed.
I wanted to shift the discussion back to the main point.
They tried to shift the blame onto us.
Their attempts at shifting attention away from the controversy seemed to be working.
Noun
There will be a shift of responsibility when she takes the new position.
a shift away from tradition
a gradual shift toward more liberal policies
a shift in voter opinion
The day shift worked overtime.
The restaurant needed only one shift for lunch.
He works the day shift.
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Kohn, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The halving has happened roughly every four years, and the next one is expected to happen sometime around April 19 or 20, although that may shift.
—Rafael Nam, NPR, 16 Apr. 2024
During this same period, Hulme says, Western gastronomic preferences have shifted away from cloyingly sweet desserts and toward dishes with more complex flavor.
—Corey Buhay, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024
At about a hundred feet, the aircraft shifted to horizontal flight.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
But with inflation proving more difficult to tame than anticipated, and the economy still running strong, that forecast is shifting.
—Bywill Daniel, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
Hikers will soon head into Moonlight Canyon, and the terrain will shift from a wide path to a more narrow and sandy trail.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2024
The severe thunderstorm threat will shift east on Tuesday.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
Target-date funds by nature follow a allocation mix that gradually shifts from aggressive to conservative as retirement nears.
—The Arizona Republic, 14 Apr. 2024
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024
The health impact disproportionately affects people of color, who are more likely to work jobs with irregular hours, varied shifts, or multiple jobs.
—Trey Williams, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024
The focus shifts from character to character, from past to present.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 16 Apr. 2024
So there has been a shift in efficiency, albeit a subtle one.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
Healthy aging seems to require a shift in mind-set as much as a shift in muscle mass.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
In recent weeks, some San Francisco County jails have failed to meet staffing minimums, down as many as eight deputies for some shifts, according to the union.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
There’s been both a structural change that has been happening for a long time as well as a cyclical behavioral shift that happened in the midst of the pandemic.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
The show identified a shift in comportment toward shamelessness.
—Wesley Morris Ron Butler Emma Kehlbeck Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Verb
Advertisement Despite being known for his bass duties in the biggest-selling band from Orange County, lately Kanal has shifted his musical focus to be not on stage but behind the screen as a TV and film composer.
—Daniel Kohn, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The halving has happened roughly every four years, and the next one is expected to happen sometime around April 19 or 20, although that may shift.
—Rafael Nam, NPR, 16 Apr. 2024
During this same period, Hulme says, Western gastronomic preferences have shifted away from cloyingly sweet desserts and toward dishes with more complex flavor.
—Corey Buhay, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024
At about a hundred feet, the aircraft shifted to horizontal flight.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
But with inflation proving more difficult to tame than anticipated, and the economy still running strong, that forecast is shifting.
—Bywill Daniel, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
Hikers will soon head into Moonlight Canyon, and the terrain will shift from a wide path to a more narrow and sandy trail.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2024
The severe thunderstorm threat will shift east on Tuesday.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
Target-date funds by nature follow a allocation mix that gradually shifts from aggressive to conservative as retirement nears.
—The Arizona Republic, 14 Apr. 2024
Noun
The actor beautifully calibrates the gradual shift in John as the window to make a decision starts closing.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024
The health impact disproportionately affects people of color, who are more likely to work jobs with irregular hours, varied shifts, or multiple jobs.
—Trey Williams, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024
The focus shifts from character to character, from past to present.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 16 Apr. 2024
So there has been a shift in efficiency, albeit a subtle one.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
Healthy aging seems to require a shift in mind-set as much as a shift in muscle mass.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
In recent weeks, some San Francisco County jails have failed to meet staffing minimums, down as many as eight deputies for some shifts, according to the union.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
There’s been both a structural change that has been happening for a long time as well as a cyclical behavioral shift that happened in the midst of the pandemic.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
The show identified a shift in comportment toward shamelessness.
—Wesley Morris Ron Butler Emma Kehlbeck Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shift.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to shift
Dictionary Entries Near shift
Cite this Entry
“Shift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shift. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shift
1 of 2 verb1
: to exchange for another of the same kind
2
a
: to change the place, position, or direction of
b
: to make a change in place, position, or direction
the wind shifted
c
: to change the gear rotating the transmission shaft of an automobile
3
: to get along without help : fend
left the others to shift for themselves
shift
2 of 2 noun1
: a means or device for getting something done
2
b
3
: the act of shifting
4
: a group of workers who work together during a scheduled period of time
also
: the period of time during which they work
5
Medical Definition
shift
noun
: a change in place, position, or frequency: as
a
: a change in frequency resulting in a change in position of a spectral line or band compare doppler effect
b
: a removal or transfer from one thing or place to another see chloride shift
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share