shrug

[ shruhg ]

/ ʃrʌg /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR shrug ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), shrugged, shrug·ging.

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

verb (used without object), shrugged, shrug·ging.

to raise and contract the shoulders.

noun

the movement of raising and contracting the shoulders.

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

Verb Phrases

shrug off,

to disregard; minimize: to shrug off an insult.
to rid oneself of: to shrug off the effects of a drug.

Nearby words

shrub, shrub layer, shrubbery, shrubby, shrubby cinquefoil, shrug, shrug off, shrug one's shoulders, shrunk, shrunken, sht.

Origin of shrug

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

Related formsun·shrug·ging, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for shrug

“The girls I used to race with would just pull their pants around their ankles and hang off the back,” Ralphie says with I shrug.
Inside Sailing’s Biggest Race|Lizzie Crocker|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mason ambles through life, free to enjoy the little moments and shrug off the big ones, just like his father did before him.
Black 'Boyhood' Is Always Black First, Boy Later|Teo Bugbee|August 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Around my own friends, someone will wind up a conversation with a shrug and a baffling—to me—utterance of “Haters gonna hate.”
Why We Should Hate 'Haters Gonna Hate'|Tim Teeman|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet, relative to the massive amount of attention, shock, and criticism, I can only muster a shrug and a plea to chill out.
The Internet’s Latest Pearl-Clutching Panic Over Mamading Is Insane|Emily Shire|July 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But the men from the Southern Hemisphere have the strength to shrug off that loss.
Luis Suarez, Uruguay’s Notorious Soccer Vampire, Strikes Again—Biting Italian in World Cup Win|Tunku Varadarajan|June 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With a shrug of his shoulders, sop resumed his studies, finding Aretino more diverting than such nonsense.
The Duke's Motto|Justin Huntly McCarthy
In that case,” said the count with a shrug of his shoulders, “you must be right.
The Boy Allies with the Cossacks|Clair W. Hayes
Pinney relaxed his gaze with a shrug, and produced the paper.
The Quality of Mercy|W. D. Howells
Well,” said Scales, with a shrug of the shoulders, “you are master here.
The Rosery Folk|George Manville Fenn
He held his head defiantly erect, and he gave scorn for scorn and shrug for shrug.
Sea-Dogs All!|Tom Bevan

British Dictionary definitions for shrug

shrug

/ (ʃrʌɡ) /

verb shrugs, shrugging or shrugged

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

noun

the gesture so made

a woman's short jacket or close-fitting cardigan

Word Origin for shrug

C14: of uncertain origin

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

Word Origin and History for shrug (1 of 2)

shrug

c.1400, schurgyng, of uncertain origin. Perhaps connected to Danish skrugge "to stoop, crouch." Related: Shrugged; shrugging. To shrug (something) off "dismiss" is recorded from 1909.

Word Origin and History for shrug (1 of 2)

shrug

a shoulder motion meant to express indifference, want of an answer, etc., 1590s, from shrug (v.).

shrug

verb (used with object), shrugged, shrug·ging.

verb (used without object), shrugged, shrug·ging.

noun

Verb Phrases

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Nearby words

Origin of shrug

Examples from the Web for shrug

British Dictionary definitions for shrug

shrug

verb shrugs, shrugging or shrugged

noun

Word Origin for shrug

Word Origin and History for shrug (1 of 2)

shrug

Word Origin and History for shrug (1 of 2)

shrug