SHELLS Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

shells 1 of 2

noun

plural of shell

as in sheaths

something that encloses another thing especially to protect it eating oysters straight out of their shells

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Relevance

as in structures

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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as in exteriors

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

shells

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shell

as in peels

to remove the natural covering of shelling peanuts

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as in bombs

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 shells

Noun

Scoop them out of pumpkins, or buy them with or without shells. — Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026 Investigators found a dozen 9mm shells in the middle of North 18th Avenue, indicating the victims didn't fire any rounds. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 Machines meant to begin giving the shells perfectly smooth noses would, instead, mangle them into swirls that looked like soft-serve ice cream. — ProPublica, 26 Aug. 2026 In all, Israel struck the hospital four times using high-explosive tank shells. — Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Horsehair, tortoise shells, antlers and various animal products 5. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 The secondary usually consists of two-high safety shells pre-snap, rotating a safety down post-snap to confuse the quarterback and counter play action. — Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Cindy said the icing process is time consuming, especially since the egg shells need to be crushed and dehydrated. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 Queen conchs live in spiral, sandy-colored shells with a bright pink or orange interior. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Verb

During the drive, a tank shells the car, killing most of the occupants. — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shells

Noun

The research team says future versions may use adjustable sheaths or elastic materials to fit a wider range of bodies.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026
To further the house’s connection to nature, Wright used flagstone flooring inside and out and employed large sheaths of glass windows for visual continuity.

— Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 14 July 2026

Definition of sheaths

Noun

Almost 50 homes and other structures have been destroyed so far; there have been several injuries, and one of Tibbetts’s neighbors lost 20 German shepherds.

— Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
These proposals, many times rooted in sympathy and love, were presented as alternatives to the political structures and market logic that had so often led to war, exploitation, hopelessness, and suffering.

— Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of structures

Verb

As autumn progresses, the husk peels back, revealing the orange berries.

— Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026
Nordic noir suggests the presence of violence and hatred beneath the tranquillity and order of the Scandinavian welfare state, just as Southern noir peels back hospitality and charm to reveal repressed family secrets and moral decay.

— Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of peels

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 casings

Noun

Although many top‑level policy frameworks read promisingly, structural frictions create risk that reforms won’t deliver limited real‑world impact, Tang said.

— Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Regulatory frameworks need to be built, and so do the supply chains and manufacturing systems.

— Jordan Blum, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of frameworks

Noun

The girls dropped out of school and moved to Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, to work long hours in a restaurant, where they were exposed to sharp tools, hot surfaces and heavy lifting.

— Aniruddha Ghosal, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Measles can spread when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, and the virus remains infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after the person with infection leaves the area.

— Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026