shouldered

verb

past tense of shoulder
1
as in assumed
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 pushed
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 shouldered The work in this courtroom is not shouldered by the judge alone. — Corey B. Friedman, Sun Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026 The White man, his sinewy, tattooed arms already beet-red from the sun, shouldered the cross from the center beam. — John Blake, CNN Money, 19 July 2026 A couple of residents initially shouldered the bulk of maintenance duties themselves, such as storing, moving and refilling the self-watering tanks. — Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026 The Massachusetts native has shouldered a heavy workload for the Yankees this season, making all 20 of his starts and throwing the second most innings in the AL at 118 2/3. — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 12 July 2026 But experts say the costs of the fertilizer shortage will be largely shouldered by farmers. — Joe Hernandez, NPR, 3 July 2026 That number, however, does not include the costs being shouldered by local, state and federal governments, with the Athletic reporting that the host cities were each spending upwards of $100 million to accommodate the tournament. — Brett Knight, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Since Tanner died, Shay has taken on the work of platforming colorectal cancer awareness, as well as shouldered the mantle of becoming a grief awareness advocate. — Shay Martin, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026 Its merger with Musk’s AI startup xAI has shouldered it with a controversial albatross that also happens to be a gigantic money hole. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shouldered
  1. assumed
  2. pushed
  3. accepted
  4. squeezed
  5. undertook
  6. bore
Verb
  • Mueller was appointed and assumed office as police chief in Stillwater in January 2021.
    — Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2026
  • As of now, most people have assumed that Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie who disappeared in early 2026, won’t be found alive.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of assumed
Verb
  • Five days before the deadline, the Digital Omnibus pushed them to December 2027.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • In Congress, Republicans aimed at Fauci more frequently and pushed the unproven theory that the coronavirus was created at a lab in Wuhan, China, instead of spreading from animal to human, as Fauci believed.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of pushed
Verb
  • With his plan accepted, Léna began organizing experiments for the historic flight.
    — Dhananjay Khadilkar, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In order to earn enough money for his grandmother’s cancer treatments, Tae-ha accepted a job with Sang-gil.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of accepted
Verb
  • But attorneys and housing advocates who work with struggling homeowners say household budgets are being squeezed from several directions.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Io is repeatedly squeezed and stretched by Jupiter and the gravitational pulls of neighboring moons Europa and Ganymede.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeezed
Verb
  • Last year, Missouri lawmakers undertook redistricting to edge out the state's other Democratic representative, Cleaver, who has represented Kansas City in Congress since 2004.
    — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In May, authorities undertook a mass rescue of hundreds of animals, including 165 horses, at a troubled sanctuary in Julian called Villa Chardonnay.
    — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of undertook
Verb
  • Outdoor brands like Halfdays, FP Movement, Patagonia, and Athleta have quite frankly never looked better, with cheerful colorways, unique designs, and trail-ready pieces all proving that function doesn’t have to mean boring.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2026
  • That said, woodpeckers are attracted to other types of wood-boring insects, and woodpecker activity doesn’t always indicate that borers are present.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of bore

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shoulder bags
shouldered
shouldering
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Cite this Entry

“Shouldered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shouldered. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of shouldered for Spanish Speakers

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