shrug

1 of 2

verb

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

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
In a city known to shrug at local politics — the media tend to showcase crime, sports and Hollywood rather than City Hall — the race has been overshadowed by the national fight for Congress, two wars and anxiety over inflation and grocery prices. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 This week Samsung recorded record third-quarter profits , yet Wall Street shrugged. — Jay Woods, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
If you’ve ever been stuck in that frustrating loop of UTI-like symptoms that don’t quite add up, with tests coming back negative and a shrug from your provider, ureaplasma is worth knowing about. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026 So the investors, led by Hackman Capital Partners, Blackstone and Bain Capital, piled in to buy studio space, betting that the streaming boom and Wall Street’s collective shrug at profits would keep facilities humming. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026 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

Phrases Containing shrug

Rhymes for shrug

See All Rhymes for shrug

Browse Nearby Words

shruff
shrug
shrug away
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrug. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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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

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