shoulder

verb

Definition of shouldernext
1
as in to accept
to take to or upon oneself agreed to shoulder the burden of caring for their elderly father

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to push
to force one's way shouldered through the crowd at the bar and ordered a drink

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 shoulder Families with fewer resources are far more likely to shoulder the burden themselves, often sacrificing income, career progression and retirement savings in the process. — Samir Shah, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026 Investors recognize that the good returns enjoyed by equity owners are – or should be – compensation for shouldering a genuine hazard of interim loss. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026 In other words, people are more likely to win lawsuits and, in doing so, can avoid shouldering the burden of medical costs on their own. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Many families shoulder the burden by chipping in to pay for home care, which costs about $38 an hour, according to AARP. — Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shoulder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoulder
  1. accept
  2. push
  3. assume
  4. elbow
  5. bear
  6. squeeze
  7. undertake
Verb
  • Instead of barking back, his commander accepted the boundary and deferred the task to the following week.
    — Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Politico found Donalds accepted $375,000 from two companies and a CEO involved in Project Tango.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of accept
Verb
  • Taken together, current and former officials interviewed say, those positions could narrow the military's recruiting pool while pushing some troops already in uniform to reconsider staying.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Sangare was one of the core players of the Lens side who pushed Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain hard for the French title last season, eventually coming up six points short.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of push
Verb
  • States with higher average benefits would see larger cuts, according to CRFB, whose analysis assumes a 24% across-the-board cut.
    — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Hayden Heights For years, any number of drivers passing the Hayden Heights Library on White Bear Avenue have assumed the boxy, unadorned 1979 building was some form of warehouse or private office, according to library surveys.
    — Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of assume
Verb
  • Tommy John, the first player to successfully return to the game after a groundbreaking (and later eponymous) elbow surgery, died at 83.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Bradford, now in the rotation, and Montgomery, pitching out of the bullpen, both had elbow surgery and hadn't pitched in the big leagues since 2024 before coming back last week.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of elbow
Verb
  • The tournament featured the first ATP Masters 1000 semifinal lineup of players all born in the 2000s.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Tuition sticker prices bear little resemblance to how colleges spend money or what students actually pay, as significant grant aid is common across income levels.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of bear
Verb
  • Cheap electric cars dominate one end of the market, Tesla occupies the premium end, and the middle is getting squeezed.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Washington is trying to choke Iran's ability to get its crude out while Tehran is squeezing the artery through which everybody else's crude gets through.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • Phil Buckingham Ipswich Town A more balanced and measured transfer approach has been undertaken by Ipswich this summer compared to their last campaign in the Premier League two years ago.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • With its full combat qualification now completed, Hubei is expected to move into combat-ready duty and undertake missions in the South China Sea, according to the Chinese military expert cited by the Global Times.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of undertake

Phrases Containing shoulder

Browse Nearby Words

should
shoulder
shoulder bag
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Cite this Entry

“Shoulder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoulder. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shoulder

Nglish: Translation of shoulder for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shoulder

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