shepherd
1 of 2noun
shep·herd ˈshe-pərd 
1
: a person who tends sheep
2
: pastor
3
: german shepherd
shepherd
2 of 2verb
shepherded; shepherding; shepherds
transitive verb
1
: to tend as a shepherd
2
: to guide or guard in the manner of a shepherd
shepherded the bill through Congress
Synonyms
Verb
- coach
- counsel
- guide
- lead
- mentor
- pilot
- show
- tutor
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb She carefully shepherded the children across the street. They shepherded the bill through Congress.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2022 At dinner options include warm duck salad with chard figs and feta cheese (€14.50) ; a seafood chowder with Pernod and coriander cream (€9.50); and a duo of lamb with a mini shepherd’s pie and a corn feet of garlic (€26). John Mariani, Forbes, 12 July 2022 There is Tweety, the outgoing, 8-month-old Chihuahua mix; Doris, a chill 18-month-old shepherd mix; and Kona, a 4-month-old Schnauzer blend. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 22 Aug. 2022 The mountain has always been a part of my life: my grandparents lived nearby, and a great-great-great grandfather was a shepherd on its slopes. Oliver Smith, Outside Online, 6 June 2020 Heart Valley follows a day in the life of solitary Welsh shepherd Wilf Davies. Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 June 2022 The dog, identified as a male shepherd, reportedly entered the enclosure of its own accord. Fox News, 13 June 2022 The shepherd reportedly had no microchip and will remain under a stray hold at the shelter while rescuers work to find the canine's owner. Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE.com, 13 June 2022 Asher is a three-legged shepherd who loves splashing in water bowls and chewing on tree branches. Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 8 June 2022 Andrew Bahl And Jason Tidd, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2022 With Maloney, Connolly helped shepherd the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 through the committee to modernize and stabilize the Postal Service. Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2022 And there’s the Pawtucket city official who helped shepherd the deal through by working with the Commerce official who is now running for treasurer against the Pawtucket official’s fiance. Brian Amaral, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Aug. 2022 Leo helped shepherd Thomas’s Supreme Court nomination through the Senate in 1991. Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022 As Mottley began to shepherd Barbados through its own insolvency, Grenada’s experience taught her that success would depend on her ability to use the IMF to her advantage. Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 27 July 2022 As Mottley began to shepherd Barbados through its own insolvency, Grenada’s experience taught her that success would depend on her ability to use the I.M.F. to her advantage. New York Times, 27 July 2022 The decline was due almost entirely to the expiration of stimulus programs created to shepherd the economy through the COVID pandemic, and the rapid economic growth those programs helped facilitate. Ben Ritz, Forbes, 26 May 2022 In the summer of 2021, Kim Miller found himself in a familiar position: considering the best move to shepherd his team through a life-threatening storm. Julie Dugdale, Outside Online, 10 Feb. 2022 See More
Noun
Candice, for example, eventually developed a tolerance to her German-shepherd mix, Tesla, despite getting all watery-eyed and sneezy at first. Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2022 At dinner options include warm duck salad with chard figs and feta cheese (€14.50) ; a seafood chowder with Pernod and coriander cream (€9.50); and a duo of lamb with a mini shepherd’s pie and a corn feet of garlic (€26). John Mariani, Forbes, 12 July 2022 There is Tweety, the outgoing, 8-month-old Chihuahua mix; Doris, a chill 18-month-old shepherd mix; and Kona, a 4-month-old Schnauzer blend. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 22 Aug. 2022 The mountain has always been a part of my life: my grandparents lived nearby, and a great-great-great grandfather was a shepherd on its slopes. Oliver Smith, Outside Online, 6 June 2020 Heart Valley follows a day in the life of solitary Welsh shepherd Wilf Davies. Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 June 2022 The dog, identified as a male shepherd, reportedly entered the enclosure of its own accord. Fox News, 13 June 2022 The shepherd reportedly had no microchip and will remain under a stray hold at the shelter while rescuers work to find the canine's owner. Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE.com, 13 June 2022 Asher is a three-legged shepherd who loves splashing in water bowls and chewing on tree branches. Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 8 June 2022 Verb
And Kelly pointed to efforts to shepherd through a reduction in the state sales tax on food, which passed the Legislature in 2022 but won’t go into effect until next year, with a full reduction not occurring until 2025. Andrew Bahl And Jason Tidd, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2022 With Maloney, Connolly helped shepherd the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 through the committee to modernize and stabilize the Postal Service. Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2022 And there’s the Pawtucket city official who helped shepherd the deal through by working with the Commerce official who is now running for treasurer against the Pawtucket official’s fiance. Brian Amaral, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Aug. 2022 Leo helped shepherd Thomas’s Supreme Court nomination through the Senate in 1991. Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022 As Mottley began to shepherd Barbados through its own insolvency, Grenada’s experience taught her that success would depend on her ability to use the IMF to her advantage. Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 27 July 2022 As Mottley began to shepherd Barbados through its own insolvency, Grenada’s experience taught her that success would depend on her ability to use the I.M.F. to her advantage. New York Times, 27 July 2022 The decline was due almost entirely to the expiration of stimulus programs created to shepherd the economy through the COVID pandemic, and the rapid economic growth those programs helped facilitate. Ben Ritz, Forbes, 26 May 2022 In the summer of 2021, Kim Miller found himself in a familiar position: considering the best move to shepherd his team through a life-threatening storm. Julie Dugdale, Outside Online, 10 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English sheepherde, from Old English scēaphyrde, from scēap sheep + hierde herdsman; akin to Old English heord herd
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing shepherd
Kids Definition
shepherd 1 of 2
noun
shep·herd ˈshe-pərd
: a person who takes care of and guards a flock of sheep
shepherd
2 of 2verb
shepherded; shepherding
1
: to take care of and guard a flock of sheep
2
: to gather, lead, or move in the manner of a shepherd She shepherded the children across the playground.
shepherding 1 of 2
noun
as in piloting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- piloting
- steering
- management
- leadership
- running
- administration
- governance
- observing
- direction
- lead
- monitoring
- stewardship
- control
- policing
- supervision
- observation
- oversight
- generalship
- guidance
- superintendence
- regulation
- government
- superintendency
- care
- surveillance
- observance
- guardianship
- headship
- protection
- tutelage
- charge
- reign
- rule
- auspices
- trusteeship
- aegis
- egis
shepherding
2 of 2verb
as in guiding
to give advice and instruction to (someone) regarding the course or process to be followed shepherding her through the procedure of taking out a loan Synonyms & Similar Words
- guiding
- coaching
- teaching
- leading
- steering
- mentoring
- showing
- accompanying
- escorting
- piloting
- tutoring
- training
- counseling
- supervising
- walking through
- counselling
- engineering
- overseeing
- directing
- chaperoning
- instructing
- informing
- superintending
- attending
- swaying
- convoying
- seeing
- fostering
- nurturing
- indoctrinating
- schooling
- squiring
- drilling
- godfathering
- cultivating
- inculcating
- enlightening
- briefing