The men's shot put event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

The American team was strong; Charles Fonville, who had been the "best putter early in the year" and had set the world record in April, was unable to even make the three-man roster.

[1] Canada, Iceland, Pakistan, and Peru each made their debut in the men's shot put.

The United States appeared for the 11th time, the only nation to have competed in all Olympic shot put competitions to date.

The competition used the two-round format introduced in 1936, with the qualifying round completely separate from the divided final.