What does shouldering mean?
Shouldering most commonly refers to carrying or supporting something on one’s shoulder, as in a traveler shouldering a pack or a worker shouldering sacks of material. It also has an established figurative meaning: to assume responsibility, blame, expense, or another burden. In this use, “the company shouldered the costs” means that the company accepted and paid those costs, while “she shouldered the blame” means that she accepted responsibility for what happened. The phrase can carry either a positive connotation, suggesting dependability and willingness to help, or a negative one, suggesting that an excessive burden has been imposed. As a gerund noun, “the shouldering of responsibility” names the act of accepting a duty, though this construction is less common in everyday speech. The word is used in neutral to formal English in both British and American varieties.
To carry or support something on one’s shoulder or shoulders; figuratively, to take on or accept a responsibility, burden, expense, or blame.
"After the storm, she was shouldering the task of rebuilding the community center."
This is the present-participle form of “shoulder” and is normally used with an auxiliary verb or in a progressive construction.
The act of carrying something on one’s shoulder or shoulders; figuratively, the act of assuming a responsibility or burden.
"The project depended on the steady shouldering of responsibility by its volunteers."
The noun use is comparatively uncommon and tends to occur in formal or descriptive prose.
The plural is grammatically possible but rarely used because the singular gerund-noun meaning is uncommon.
"The account describes the repeated shoulderings of responsibility that ordinary workers are expected to bear."
What rests on your shoulders can be heavy on your shoulders—and heavier still on your conscience.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How shouldering is actually used
The form is most commonly encountered as the present participle of “shoulder.” Its gerund-noun use is comparatively rare and often sounds more formal than the verbal uses. Figurative usage can be neutral, describing responsible assumption, but it can also imply an onerous or unwelcome burden.