noun
Common
shifting
Shifting (noun) means a change or movement from one state, place, or position to another. Example: “The shifting of the furniture left scratches on the wooden floor.”
noun
1
A change or movement from one state, place, or position to another.
"The shifting of the furniture left scratches on the wooden floor."
"There has been a gradual shifting in attitudes towards recycling."
"But shiftings and readjustments ensued, as they are sure to do with a walking-party. Cope presently found himself scuffling through the thin grass and the briery thickets alongside the young business-man."
— Henry Blake Fuller, Cope at His House Party (1919)
"The shifting of the sand dunes reshapes the coastline each year."
"Then everyone moved at the same time — slight shiftings of the hands and feet, furtive easings of position."
— Jack Vance, The View from Chickweed's Window (1978)
How to use shifting
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe ongoing process of something moving or changing.
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Word forms
- Plural
- shiftings
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The _____ of the furniture left scratches on the wooden floor.
Related words
Rhymes for shifting
See all rhymes for shifting →Frequently asked questions
What does “shifting” mean?
The word “shifting” means a change or movement from one state, place, or position to another. In plain terms, the ongoing process of something moving or changing.
How do you use “shifting” in a sentence?
Here is “shifting” used in a sentence: “The shifting of the sand dunes reshapes the coastline each year.”
What part of speech is “shifting”?
“Shifting” is a noun.
Is “shifting” a common word?
“Shifting” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between shift and shifting?
A shift is a single change or movement from one state, place, or position to another, as in "a shift in policy." Shifting refers to the process or ongoing pattern of such change, as in "the constant shifting of public opinion." Use shifting when the movement is repeated or still under way.
