shell 1 of 2

noun

ˈshel How to pronounce shell (audio)
Definition of shellnext
1
as in sheath
something that encloses another thing especially to protect it eating oysters straight out of their shells

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2
as in structure
the arrangement of parts that gives something its basic form workers at the shipyard have thus far erected the shell of the ship

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3
as in exterior
an outer part or layer the shell of the building is all glass, making it conspicuous on a street with mostly limestone facades

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shell

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to peel
to remove the natural covering of shelling peanuts

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2
as in to bomb
to use bombs or artillery against the enemy shelled the city for days without letup

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shell
Noun
Examples include coastal shell mirrors in a city home, Eiffel Tower lamps, or farmhouse signs. — Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 26 Aug. 2026 Repkon said other countries were already using its machinery to build an older, simpler model of the artillery shells. — ProPublica, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
About a week later, Akwesasne Mohawk police provided US authorities shell casings stemming from an arrest on Indigenous land in Quebec where a suspect had fired their gun on July 22, 2024, according to the memo. — Mark Morales, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026 Mansouri was subjected to Israeli shelling earlier this week, according to Lebanon’s state news agency. — Matthew Lee, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell
  1. sheath
  2. structure
  3. exterior
  4. bark
  5. bomb
  6. casing
  7. framework
  8. surface
Noun
  • Nature also developed myelin, the fatty sheath around nerve fibers that allows electrical signals to travel up to 100 times faster than through unmyelinated neurons.
    — Bratin Saha, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The two-time Olympic champion from Norway hadn’t raced since having surgery early this year to clean up scar tissue on the protective sheath around his left Achilles tendon.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of sheath
Noun
  • Now, in this new study, the international team examined the curious fossil under cross-polarized light, allowing more of its structure to be visible.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Ukrainian Drones Are Pushing Back Russian Artillery Russian force structure has historically reflected this emphasis on firepower.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of structure
Noun
  • The interior is probably the biggest improvement without having the same visually jarring impact the exterior’s changes have.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Common use cases include aircraft fuselages, drone wings, train exteriors, commercial truck bodies, and architectural membranes.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of exterior
Verb
  • Freedom stood up, spread his arms, barked back and took a step toward her.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • During the third quarter of the Indiana Fever's 113-90 win over the Sky at Wintrust Arena, Cloud began barking at Freedom, who was sitting courtside.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bark
Verb
  • Paid off the witch, but Practical Magic still bombed on initial release.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The status of its nuclear program, degraded by bombing strikes in 2025, hasn't changed.
    — Susan Page, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of bomb
Noun
  • If internal fluid pressure drops during aggressive extraction, the surrounding earth squeezes the cavern inward, permanently shrinking total storage capacity and crushing steel well casings.
    — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Five bullet casings were recovered from the scene, where Hernandez-Lopez was pronounced dead.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of casing
Noun
  • Regulatory frameworks need to be built, and so do the supply chains and manufacturing systems.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Their forensic multi-scale remote sensing (MSRS) framework combines satellite radar, laser scanning, and ground-penetrating radar to find suspicious areas, investigate them in detail, and probe what may be happening underground.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of framework
Noun
  • Xenex LightStrike Infections acquired inside hospitals remain a serious problem, especially when harmful germs survive on surfaces after a patient leaves a room.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Autumn joy stonecrop propagates readily indoors or outdoors, both from stem cuttings and from leaf cuttings placed on the soil surface.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of surface

Phrases Containing shell

Browse Nearby Words

shekels
shell
shellac
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Cite this Entry

“Shell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shell

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shell

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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