How to pronounce shrug
Say it like SHRUHG. Shrug is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shrug. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHRUHG
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shrug pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHRUHGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of shrug
American and British speakers say shrug in essentially the same way: /ʃrʌɡ/ in the US and /ʃrʌɡ/ in the UK.
British respelling: SHRUHG.
What does shrug mean?
- To raise (the shoulders) to express uncertainty, lack of concern, (formerly) dread, etc.“I asked him for an answer and he just shrugged.”
- A lifting of the shoulders to signal indifference or a casual lack of knowledge about something.“He dismissed my comment with a shrug.”
- A cropped, cardiganlike garment with short or long sleeves, typically knitted.
Where does shrug come from?
From Middle English schruggen, shrukken, probably of North Germanic origin related to Danish skrugge, skrukke (“to stoop; crouch”), Swedish skruga, skrukka (“to huddle; crouch”), all from or related to Old Norse skrykkva, from Proto-Germanic *skrinkwaną.
Words that rhyme with shrug
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shrug.
Questions about saying shrug
How do you pronounce shrug?
Say SHRUHG. The American pronunciation is /ʃrʌɡ/. In British English it is /ʃrʌɡ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shrug?
Shrug is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHRUHG.
Do Americans and Brits say shrug the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ʃrʌɡ/ and the British form is /ʃrʌɡ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.