shrug

/ʃrəg/

/ʃrəg/

Other forms: shrugged; shrugging; shrugs

To shrug is to raise your shoulders slightly, often to show that you're unsure or indifferent, like when you don't know the answer to a question.

A shrug is a gesture that can convey a lot without words. You might shrug if you're uncertain about the plans a friend is suggesting. You may also find yourself shrugging in response to a question that you don't know the answer to or one that you don't care enough about to answer. A shrug can suggest indifference to a person or situation that you might normally find stressful, showing that you have simply decided it's not worth getting worked up over.

Definitions of shrug

1. verb

   raise one's shoulders to indicate indifference or resignation
   type of:

   gesticulate, gesture, motion

   show, express, or direct through movement
2. noun

   a gesture involving the shoulders
   type of:

   gesture, motion

   the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
3. noun

   a short jacket or coat that ends above the waist