Synonyms of shouldering

shouldering

verb

present participle of shoulder

1

as in accepting

to take to or upon oneself

agreed to shoulder the burden of caring for their elderly father

Synonyms & Similar Words

• accepting
• assuming
• bearing
• undertaking
• embracing
• taking over
• adopting
• advocating
• supporting
• endorsing
• upholding
• championing
• backing
• acquiescing
• assenting
• acceding
• agreeing
• taking up
• consenting
• standing by
• espousing
• reassuming
• reaccepting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• withdrawing
• disclaiming
• repudiating
• refusing
• renouncing
• disavowing
• disowning
• rejecting
• retracting
• avoiding
• declining
• spurning
• taking back
• abjuring
• turning down
• recanting
• abandoning
• bypassing
• relinquishing
• refraining (from)
• forsaking
• abstaining (from)
• forbearing
• surrendering
• detouring
• giving up
• unsaying
• backing off
• backing down
• backtracking
• abnegating

2

as in pushing

to force one's way

shouldered through the crowd at the bar and ordered a drink

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pushing
• squeezing
• shoving
• elbowing
• pressing
• jostling
• jamming
• crashing
• bulldozing
• muscling
• thrusting
• boring
• bulling
• ramming

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shouldering

Many are shouldering economic hardship, exposure to adversity and discrimination, family responsibilities, uncertainty about the future and social pressures. — Crystal Cederna, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026

Lilly died on January 25, leaving her father to grieve her loss while shouldering a mission to spread awareness about the cancer that took his daughter’s life. — Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

Even so, the increase in borrowing costs comes as Americans are shouldering higher costs for gas, food and other essentials. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026

Meanwhile, Miller had his lowest points output (53) in the last five years and worst points-per-game average in the last seven while shouldering the burden of his new captain responsibilities. — Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Agache said that the fundraiser was created so the couple could focus on grieving their daughter and honoring her life without shouldering all of the financial costs that followed her unexpected death. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 2026

Yuba-Sutter grower Rob Bains has a land development and custom farm work business and is shouldering hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs for former Del Monte farmers until they get paid through the tree pull program. — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 23 Aug. 2026

What must happen is that even these lower density neighborhoods start adding housing stock at rates roughly proportional to what every other neighborhood is shouldering. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026

In other words, people are more likely to win lawsuits and, in doing so, can avoid shouldering the burden of medical costs on their own. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026