Why are you shrugging your shoulders?
Source: tatoeba (12084310)
Shrugging
/ˈʃɹʌɡɪŋ/
Synonyms for "shrugging" (10 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (2)
Noun(2 words)
Strong matches (3)
Noun(3 words)
Related words (5)
Noun(5 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: apathetic, dismissive, evade, gesture of indifference, indifferent.
- Sentence evidence is available for shrugging, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "shrugging".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "shrugging"
Keep "shrugging" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "shrugging" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "shrugging", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "shrugging" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
8 entriesMore specific
6 entriesCollocations
13 entriesbody languagegestural cuehabitual shruggingnoncommittal shruggingnonverbal cueshoulder shrugshrugging attitudeshrugging expressionshrugging gestureshrugging postureshrugging responseshrugging shoulderssocial signal
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
2 entriesSample sentences
4 total sentences available.
I can not prophesy what will be the outcome of the efforts which the Filipino women are now making to obtain suffrage; but I know that these efforts must be to them, and are to us, a source of pride and glory, because they show that there is no part of our people which has remained indifferent to the great movements of the century. There are persons who scoff at them and many shrug their shoulders; but this must not discourage our women, because neither scoffing nor shrugging the shoulders are very weighty arguments.
Source: tatoeba (12183473)
And in our times, in Philadelphia, there have been specimens of violent shruggings of the shoulders, and brachial twitches, and prodigious wry faces, and thumpings on the pews.
Source: wiktionary
My crucial mistake was shrugging instead of shaking my head.
Source: wiktionary
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "shrugging"?
Closest matches include apathetic, dismissive, evade, gesture of indifference, indifferent.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "shrugging"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.