C1verbinformal3K

Shrug

UK /["/ʃrʌɡ/","/ʃrʌɡz/","/ʃrʌɡd/","/ˈʃrʌɡɪŋ/"]/US /["/ʃrʌɡ/","/ʃrʌɡz/","/ʃrʌɡd/","/ˈʃrʌɡɪŋ/"]/

Definition

to raise your shoulders and then drop them to show that you do not know or care about something

In simple words: To lift your shoulders up and down to show you don't know or care.

Examples

  • Sam shrugged and said nothing.
  • ‘I don't know,’ Anna replied, **shrugging her shoulders**.

Usage notes

Used in casual conversations to express indifference or lack of knowledge. Not appropriate in formal situations or serious discussions.

Grammar pattern

standalone gesture

Memory hint

Imagine someone literally shrugging, as if saying, 'I don't know!'

Collocations

  • lightly
  • slightly
  • carelessly

Synonyms

  • dismiss
  • ignore
  • abandon
  • brush off
  • wave away

Antonyms

  • acknowledge
  • accept
  • consider

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'shrug off' which means to dismiss something.
  • Using it in formal writing or settings.
  • Misunderstanding the gesture's meaning across different cultures.