1
a
: the laterally projecting part of the human body formed of the bones and joints with their covering tissue by which the arm is connected with the trunk
b
: the region of the body of nonhuman vertebrates that corresponds to the shoulder but is less projecting
2
a
: the two shoulders and the upper part of the back
—usually used in plural
b
shoulders plural
: capacity for bearing a task or blame
placed the guilt squarely on his shoulders
3
: a cut of meat including the upper joint of the foreleg and adjacent parts see lamb illustration
4
: the part of a garment at the wearer's shoulder
5
: an area adjacent to or along the edge of a higher, more prominent, or more important part: such as
a(1)
: the part of a hill or mountain near the top
(2)
: a lateral protrusion or extension of a hill or mountain
b
: either edge of a roadway
specifically
: the part of a roadway outside of the traveled way
6
: a rounded or sloping part (as of a stringed instrument or a bottle) where the neck joins the body
shouldered; shouldering
ˈshōl-d(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to push or thrust with or as if with the shoulder : jostle
shouldered his way through the crowd
2
a
: to place or bear on the shoulder
shouldered her knapsack
b
: to assume the burden or responsibility of
shoulder the blame
: to push with or as if with the shoulders aggressively
Examples of shoulder in a Sentence
Noun
He rested the baby's head on his shoulder.
He grabbed my shoulder and turned me around.
She carried a backpack on one shoulder.
The horse is five feet high at the shoulder.
We had pork shoulder for dinner.
Verb
He shouldered the blame for the project's failure.
The company will shoulder the costs of the repairs.
She shouldered the full burden of raising three children.
He shouldered the door open.
She shouldered through the crowd.
She shouldered her way through the crowd.
The soldiers shouldered their rifles and marched away.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dana Santas, CNN, 23 Mar. 2025
It’s designed to contour to the natural curve of the neck, with special attention paid to spinal alignment, and sculpted mounds and hollows across the pillow’s surface keep ears, hands, shoulders, and arms comfy for a good night’s rest.
—Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2025
Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Rising prices and costs have left consumers shouldering the burden, with tariffs under the Trump administration expected to add even more strain.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shoulder
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Try to stack your shoulders vertically, reaching your right fingertips toward the ceiling while straightening your right leg only.
—Dana Santas, CNN, 23 Mar. 2025
It’s designed to contour to the natural curve of the neck, with special attention paid to spinal alignment, and sculpted mounds and hollows across the pillow’s surface keep ears, hands, shoulders, and arms comfy for a good night’s rest.
—Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
The gender pay gap is driven by several factors, including men and women entering different professions, women shouldering a disproportionate share of childcare, gender differences in salary negotiation, and persistent bias against women in the workplace.
—Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Rising prices and costs have left consumers shouldering the burden, with tariffs under the Trump administration expected to add even more strain.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shoulder
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Cite this Entry
“Shoulder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shoulder. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shoulder
1 of 2 noun
shoul·der
ˈshōl-dər
1
: the part of the body of a person or animal where the arm or foreleg joins the body
2
: a cut of meat including the upper joint of the foreleg and attached parts
3
: the part of a garment at the wearer's shoulder
4
: a part that resembles a person's shoulder
shoulder of a hill
5
: the edge of a road
shoulder
2 of 2 verb
shouldered; shouldering
-d(ə-)riŋ
1
: to push with one's shoulder
shouldered him aside
2
: to accept as one's burden or responsibility
shoulder the blame
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