Shop — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈshäp/

Meaning & Definition of Shop

Shop (noun)

  1. a handicraft establishment, atelier
  2. a building or room stocked with merchandise for sale, store
  3. a small retail establishment or a department in a large one offering a specified line of goods or services

Shop (verb)

  1. to examine goods or services with intent to buy
  2. to hunt through a market in search of the best buy
  3. to make a search, hunt

Shop (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an establishment where goods are sold to consumers

    "the only shop that has that video game in stock is halfway across the state"

    similar: bazaar, emporium, store
    related: market, marketplace, outlet, showroom, boutique, chain store, department store, dime store, exchange, five-and-ten, mart, mini-mart, thrift shop, variety store, big box, supercenter, superstore

  2. a building or set of buildings for the manufacturing of goods

    "a machine shop"

    similar: factory, manufactory, mill, plant, works, workshop
    related: sweatshop, atelier, studio, workplace, workroom, yard

  3. the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field

    "the patient impressed her cardiologist with her ability to talk shop"

    similar: argot, cant, dialect, jargon, jive, language, lingo, patois, patter, shoptalk, slang, terminology, vocabulary
    related: colloquial, colloquialism, idiom, localism, parlance, pidgin, provincialism, regionalism, speech, vernacular, vernacularism, slanguage, bureaucratese, computerese, cyberspeak, educationese, governmentese, journalese, technobabble

Shop (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in turn in, rat (on)

    similar: inform (on), peach, rat (on), snitch (on), split (on) (British), tell (on), turn in, give away, backstab, betray, cross, double-cross, sell (out), two-time
    opposite: stand by, defend, guard, protect, safeguard, save, shield

Related Entry: Shop (for) (verb)

Shop (for) is a different word from Shop. The synonyms below are for shop (for), not for shop.

  1. to go in search of

    "engineers are still shopping around for solutions to several critical flaws in the aircraft's design"

    similar: cast about (for), cast around (for), chase (down), forage (for), hunt, look up, pursue, quest, search (for or out), seek, look for
    related: ferret (out), root (out)
    near: hide, lose, ignore, neglect

Related Entry: Shop (around) (verb)

Shop (around) is a different word from Shop. The synonyms below are for shop (around), not for shop.

  1. as in comparison shop

    similar: comparison shop, argue, bicker, clash, fight, hassle, quarrel, quibble, squabble, wrangle, barter, exchange, trade, bargain, chaffer, deal, dicker, haggle, horse-trade, negotiate, palter, hawk, peddle, buy, purchase

Related Entry: Closed shop (noun)

Closed shop is a different word from Shop. The synonyms below are for closed shop, not for shop.

  1. as in charmed circle, club

    similar: body, bunch, circle, clan, clique, community, coterie, coven, crowd, fold, galère, gang, klatch, lot, network, pack, ring, set, alliance, bloc, coalition, confederation, congress, council, federation, union, club, college, fellowship, guild, league, organization, society, camp, faction, sect, side, tribe, brotherhood, fraternity, order, sisterhood, sodality, sorority, charmed circle, elite, in-group, mess, squad, commune
    opposite: loner, individualist

Related Entry: Coffee shop (noun)

Coffee shop is a different word from Shop. The synonyms below are for coffee shop, not for shop.

  1. as in coffeehouse, tea shop

    similar: coffeehouse, estaminet, teahouse, tearoom, tea shop (chiefly British), pizzeria, bar, barroom, inn, tavern, chophouse, steak house, greasy spoon, hash house, cafeteria, lunch counter, luncheonette, lunchroom, snack bar, beanery, café, caff (British), diner, eatery, grill, restaurant

Related Entry: Comparison shop (verb)

Comparison shop is a different word from Shop. The synonyms below are for comparison shop, not for shop.

  1. as in shop (around)

    similar: shop (around), argue, bicker, clash, fight, hassle, quarrel, quibble, squabble, wrangle, barter, exchange, trade, bargain, chaffer, deal, dicker, haggle, horse-trade, negotiate, palter, hawk, peddle, buy, purchase

Related Entry: Tea shop (noun)

Tea shop is a different word from Shop. The synonyms below are for tea shop, not for shop.

  1. as in coffee shop, estaminet

    similar: coffeehouse, coffee shop, estaminet, teahouse, tearoom, pizzeria, bar, barroom, inn, tavern, chophouse, steak house, greasy spoon, hash house, cafeteria, lunch counter, luncheonette, lunchroom, snack bar, beanery, café, caff (British), diner, eatery, grill, restaurant

Related Entry: Thrift shop (noun)

Thrift shop is a different word from Shop. The synonyms below are for thrift shop, not for shop.

  1. as in department store, chain store

    similar: boutique, chain store, department store, dime store, exchange, five-and-ten, mart, mini-mart, variety store, bazaar, emporium, shop, store, market, marketplace, outlet, showroom, big box, supercenter, superstore

Related Entry: Set up (verb)

Set up is a different word from Shop. The synonyms below are for set up, not for shop.

  1. to arrange something in a certain spot or position

    "set up tables in the living room for the party"

    similar: depose, deposit, dispose, emplace, fix, lay, place, position, put, set, situate, stick
    related: move, rearrange, reorder, shift, orient, establish, locate, plant, settle, clap, flop, plank, plop, plump, plunk, plunk down, slap, ensconce, niche, assemble, collect, carry, berth, park, affix, anchor, lock, lodge, wedge, array, lay out, line up, queue, rank, set down
    near: relocate, remove, take, banish, dislodge, displace, replace, supersede, supplant

  2. to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of

    "set up a scholarship fund for deserving students from the inner city"

    similar: begin, constitute, establish, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, plant, start
    related: author, father, originate, conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), create, devise, fabricate, invent, make up, manufacture, produce, think (up), construct, put up, develop, enlarge, expand, endow, finance, fund, subsidize, arrange, organize, systematize, systemize, refound, reinitiate, reinstitute, relaunch
    opposite: close (down), phase out, shut (up)
    near: abolish, annihilate, annul, nullify, end, finish, halt, stop, terminate, round (off or out), wind up, wrap up

  3. to fix in an upright position

    "set up a post from which to hang the sign"

    similar: erect, pitch, put up, raise, rear, upend, upraise
    related: brace, buttress, prop (up), shore (up), support, boost, crane, elevate, heave, heft, heighten, hike, hoist, jack (up), lift, perk (up), pick up, up, uphold, uplift
    near: demolish, flatten, knock down, level, raze, tear down

  4. to form by putting together parts or materials

    "set up the prefabricated shed by following the instructions"

    similar: assemble, build, confect, construct, erect, fabricate, make, make up, piece, put up, raise, rear, put together
    related: carpenter, fashion, forge, frame, hammer, handcraft, manufacture, mold, produce, shape, prefabricate, begin, coin, create, generate, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, invent, originate, constitute, establish, father, found, institute, organize, conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), design, devise, imagine, think (up), reassemble, rebuild, reconstruct, redevelop, reedify (British), retrofit, jerry-build, rig (up), throw up, combine, unite
    opposite: demount, disassemble, dismantle, dismember, knock down, strike, take down, tear down
    near: demolish, destroy, devastate, flatten, level, pull down, pulverize, raze, ruin, ruinate, shatter, smash, wreck, blow up, explode, detach, disengage, disconnect, disjoin, disunite, divide, separate

  5. to restore to a healthy condition

    "don't worry, the doctor will set you up in no time"

    similar: cure, fix, heal, mend, rehab, rehabilitate
    related: attend (to), care (for), doctor, medicate, minister (to), nurse, physic, treat, fortify, rejuvenate, renew, resuscitate, revitalize, revive, alleviate, relieve, remedy, repair
    near: cripple, damage, disable, harm, hurt, impair, injure, lacerate, lame, maim, mangle, mutilate, wound, afflict, ail, debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, lay up, sap, sicken, waste, weaken

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Shop

The most common words with a similar meaning to Shop:

British: split (on)
bazaar, emporium, store, factory, manufactory, mill, plant, works, workshop, argot, cant, dialect, jargon, jive, language, lingo, patois, patter, shoptalk, slang, terminology, vocabulary, inform (on), peach, rat (on), snitch (on), tell (on), turn in, give away, backstab, betray, cross, double-cross, sell (out), two-time

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Shop

Words with the opposite meaning of Shop:

stand by, defend, guard, protect, safeguard, save, shield

Related Words for Shop

market, marketplace, outlet, showroom, boutique, chain store, department store, dime store, exchange, five-and-ten, mart, mini-mart, thrift shop, variety store, big box, supercenter, superstore, sweatshop, atelier, studio, workplace, workroom, yard, colloquial, colloquialism, idiom, localism, parlance, pidgin, provincialism

Word Forms of Shop

Inflections: shopped, shopping

Origin & Etymology of Shop

Middle English shoppe, from Old English sceoppa booth; akin to Old High German scopf shed

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Shop

Words & Phrases Containing Shop

shop-soiled, shop steward, shop around, shop-bought, shop floor, shop front, shop the store, shop the stores

Frequently Asked Questions about Shop

What does "Shop" mean?

"Shop" means a handicraft establishment, atelier. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a handicraft establishment, atelier. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Shop"?

Other words for "Shop" include bazaar, emporium, store, factory, manufactory, mill, plant and works. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Shop" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Shop"?

There are 78 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Shop". Common alternatives include bazaar, emporium, store, factory, manufactory, mill, plant, works, workshop and argot.

What is the opposite of "Shop"?

Antonyms of "Shop" include stand by, defend, guard, protect, safeguard, save and shield.

How do you use "Shop" in a sentence?

Examples of "Shop" in a sentence: "the only shop that has that video game in stock is halfway across the state"; "a machine shop"; "the patient impressed her cardiologist with her ability to talk shop".

Is "Shop" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Shop" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Shop" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Shop" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Shop"?

"Shop" is pronounced /ˈshäp/.