shoulder to shoulder

Idioms  

1. In close proximity or cooperation, as in The volunteers worked shoulder to shoulder in the effort to rescue the miners. This expression originated in the late 1500s in the military, at first signifying troops in close formation. Its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.

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Example Sentences

Despite the absence of Manon, the girl group packed the festival field with Eyekons packed shoulder to shoulder as far as the Do Lab.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

“We were living shoulder to shoulder in the suburbs and thought that’s not how we want our kids to grow up,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

It was anything but relaxed along Fourth Avenue as fans packed the streets shoulder to shoulder and 20 or more deep for a glimpse at their heroes, some people camping out overnight for the opportunity.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

In our family albums, relatives stand shoulder to shoulder with visitors from around the world, dressed with the ease and confidence of a country open to possibility.

From Salon • Jan. 22, 2026

Dad’s head turned from shoulder to shoulder like the ticking second hand of the clock in the dining room.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

Related Words

• collectively
• in tandem
• jointly
• simultaneously
• together