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Synonyms

shrug

American  
[shruhg] / ʃrʌg /

verb (used with object)

shrugged, shrugging

  1. to raise and contract (the shoulders), expressing indifference, disdain, etc.

verb (used without object)

shrugged, shrugging

  1. to raise and contract the shoulders.

noun

  1. the movement of raising and contracting the shoulders.

  2. a short sweater or jacket that ends above or at the waistline.

verb phrase

  1. shrug off

    1. to disregard; minimize.

      to shrug off an insult.

    2. to rid oneself of.

      to shrug off the effects of a drug.
shrug British  
/ ʃrʌɡ /

verb

  1. to draw up and drop (the shoulders) abruptly in a gesture expressing indifference, contempt, ignorance, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the gesture so made

  2. a woman's short jacket or close-fitting cardigan

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unshrugging adjective

Etymology

Origin of shrug

1350–1400; (v.) Middle English schruggen to shudder, shrug < ?; (noun) late Middle English shrugge a tug, pull, derivative of the v.

Explanation

To shrug is to raise your shoulders slightly, often to show that you're unsure or indifferent, like when you don't know the answer to a question. A shrug is a gesture that can convey a lot without words. You might shrug if you're uncertain about the plans a friend is suggesting. You may also find yourself shrugging in response to a question that you don't know the answer to or one that you don't care enough about to answer. A shrug can suggest indifference to a person or situation that you might normally find stressful, showing that you have simply decided it's not worth getting worked up over.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"I'm still here," he says towards the end, with a shrug that lands somewhere between defiance and a punchline, "and I am going to do whatever I want".

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

“I ate vitamins on an empty stomach then sat in traffic,” he said with a shrug.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Markets often shrug off geopolitics, and U.S. economic indicators remain strong.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

French industry was mostly able to shrug off the impact of U.S. tariffs in 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Hugo gave me a quick shrug and went to join her.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.