shift
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A set period of work, or a change in position or direction.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
shiftIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈʃɪft
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A movement to do something, a beginning.
A change of workers, now specifically a set group of workers or period of working time.
An act of shifting; a slight movement or change.
A period of time in which one's consciousness resides in another reality, usually achieved through meditation or other means.
A simple straight-hanging, loose-fitting dress.
us
The gear mechanism in a motor vehicle.
verb
Move around
Move from one setting or context to another
Move and exchange for another
“Shift the date for our class reunion.”
Move abruptly
intransitiveindia
To change residence; to leave and live elsewhere.
intransitivesometimes reflexive and figurative
To change position; to move.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A2 · Elementary (estimated)
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A movement to do something, a beginning.
Used this way, shift is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use shift
- “Shift the date for our class reunion.”verb
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Similar Words, What’s the Difference?
Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
A sudden or unsteady movement.
Of a person with limited mobility: an instance of independent or assisted movement from one stable surface to another.
A flight manoeuvre that uses opposing rudder and aileron inputs to move the aircraft sideways without turning it.
The controlled vertical movement of a camera, or a device to achieve this.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
The act of moving from one place to another.
A stagehand responsible for moving scenery.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
The key on the typewriter keyboard that shifts from lower-case letters to upper-case letters.
Register in which all bits can be shifted one or more positions to the left or to the right.
A working shift divided into two periods of time with several hours in between.
A transmission that is operated manually with a gear lever and a clutch pedal.
The work shift during the evening (as 4 p.m. to midnight).
The work shift during the day (as 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “shift” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.