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
Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
Then, those searches quickly declined as people shifted their focus away from the threat.
—Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
Quartz Bot, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024
Most of the conventional explanations for why a campaign fails — things like messaging choices, or whether candidates campaigned enough in the right places — cannot account for such a sweeping shift.
—Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shift 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
But an early two-to-one margin in favor of the recall had shifted only slightly in Friday night results, leading Thao to concede.
—Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
Then, those searches quickly declined as people shifted their focus away from the threat.
—Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
Noun
This increase is attributed to a shift in business from Charter to ACMI services.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024
Most of the conventional explanations for why a campaign fails — things like messaging choices, or whether candidates campaigned enough in the right places — cannot account for such a sweeping shift.
—Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shift
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 22 Nov. 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
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