Synonyms of shuffle

transitive verb

1
: to mix in a mass confusedly : jumble
2
: to put or thrust aside or under cover
shuffled the whole matter out of his mind
3
a
: to rearrange (playing cards, dominoes, tiles, etc.) to produce a random order
b
: to move about, back and forth, or from one place to another : shift
shuffle funds among various accounts
4
a
: to move by sliding along or back and forth without lifting
shuffle one's feet
b
: to perform (something, such as a dance) with a dragging, sliding step

intransitive verb

1
: to work into or out of trickily
shuffled out of the difficulty
2
: to act or speak in a shifty or evasive manner
3
a
: to move or walk in a sliding dragging manner without lifting the feet
b
: to dance in a lazy nonchalant manner with sliding and tapping motions of the feet
c
: to execute in a perfunctory or clumsy manner
4
: to mix playing cards or counters by shuffling

shuffle

2 of 2

noun

1
: an evasion of the issue : equivocation
2
a
: an act of shuffling (as of cards)
b
: a right or turn to shuffle
it's your shuffle
c
: a confusing jumble (as of papers or events)
lost in the shuffle
3
a
: a dragging sliding movement
specifically : a sliding or scraping step in dancing
b
: a dance characterized by such a step
c(1)
: a rhythm where each beat of the measure is played as a triplet with the first and second parts of the triplet tied and the third part accented
(2)
: music played in a shuffle rhythm

Examples of shuffle in a Sentence

Verb He shuffled across the floor. She stood there, shuffling her feet, waiting for the bus to arrive. She shuffled the papers on her desk. The manager shuffled the batting order. Whose turn is it to shuffle and deal? Noun We heard the shuffle of feet outside the door. He gave the cards a good shuffle and then dealt.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The bull riders—including the current champion, 20-year-old John Crimber—stand with their cowboy hat over their heart, boots shuffling nervously in the dirt. Christine Lennon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 There must have been a hundred of us there, circling the truck, clambering onto its hood, shuffling and shimmying and twerking with abandon. Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Noun
One of Parton’s first forays into purer pop, this single has the stomp and shuffle of funk and could easily be retrofitted into disco DJ sets. Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 That was particularly evident as the club looked to replace franchise shortstop Dansby Swanson, whose absence has forced an infield shuffle and several changes to the big-league roster. Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shuffle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps irregular from shove entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1570, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shuffle was in 1570

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shuffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shuffle. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

shuffle

1 of 2 verb
1
: to mix in a disorderly mass
2
: to push out of sight
3
a
: to mix cards to change their order in the pack
b
: to move from place to place
4
a
: to walk or move by sliding or dragging the feet
shuffling along
b
: to move by sliding along or back and forth without lifting
shuffled her feet

shuffle

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: an act of shuffling
b
: a disorderly mass or pile
2
: a sliding or dragging walk
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