Definition of shift

You can enter up to 15 letters and use up to 2 wildcards in the search. Use question mark (?) for wildcard searches.
Word Finders
Word Lists

Scrabble & Words with friends points

  • shift is a valid Scrabble US word with a point value of 11
  • shift is a valid Scrabble UK word with a point value of 11
  • shift is a valid Words with friends word with a point value of 10

Definition of shift

  • lay aside, abandon, or leave for another (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. change
    2. switch
  • the act of changing one thing or position for another (noun)

    Synonyms

    1. switch
    2. switching
  • move sideways or in an unsteady way (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. careen
    2. tilt
    3. wobble
  • move around (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. transfer
  • change place or direction (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. dislodge
    2. reposition
  • the time period during which you are at work (noun)

    Synonyms

    1. duty period
    2. work shift
  • (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other (noun)

    Synonyms

    1. break
    2. fault
    3. faulting
    4. fracture
    5. geological fault
  • make a shift in or exchange of (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. change over
    2. switch
  • move abruptly (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. lurch
    2. pitch
  • a loose-fitting dress hanging straight from the shoulders without a waist (noun)

    Synonyms

    1. chemise
    2. sack
  • an event in which something is displaced without rotation (noun)

    Synonyms

    1. displacement
  • the key on the typewriter keyboard that shifts from lower-case letters to upper-case letters (noun)

    Synonyms

    1. shift key
  • the act of moving from one place to another (noun)

    Examples

    1. his constant shifting disrupted the class

    Synonyms

    1. shifting
  • a qualitative change (noun)

    Synonyms

    1. transformation
    2. transmutation
  • move very slightly (verb)

    Examples

    1. He shifted in his seat

    Synonyms

    1. agitate
    2. budge
    3. stir
  • a woman's sleeveless undergarment (noun)

    Synonyms

    1. chemise
    2. shimmy
    3. slip
    4. teddy
  • a crew of workers who work for a specific period of time (noun)
  • change gears (verb)

    Examples

    1. you have to shift when you go down a steep hill
  • change in quality (verb)

    Examples

    1. His tone shifted
  • change phonetically as part of a systematic historical change (verb)

    Examples

    1. Grimm showed how the consonants shifted
  • move and exchange for another (verb)

    Examples

    1. shift the date for our class reunion
  • move from one setting or context to another (verb)

    Examples

    1. shift the emphasis
    2. shift one's attention
  • use a shift key on a keyboard (verb)

    Examples

    1. She could not shift so all her letters are written in lower case

See definition of shift in Merriam Webster