plural shelters
1
a
: something that covers or affords protection
a bomb shelter
We made a shelter from branches.
see also fallout shelter, tax shelter
b
: an establishment providing food, protection, and temporary housing for people who need assistance
a shelter for battered women
shelters for the unhoused
c
: an establishment that houses and feeds stray or unwanted animals
a no-kill shelter
2
: a position or the state of being covered and protected (as from bad weather or danger)
We ran for shelter when the rain started.
The hikers took shelter in an abandoned cabin.
sheltered; sheltering
ˈshel-t(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to constitute or provide a shelter for : protect
has led a sheltered life
2
: to place under shelter or protection
sheltered himself in a mountain cave
3
: to protect (income) from taxation
: to take shelter
plural -s
1
: one that takes shelter
2
: one that provides shelter
Examples of shelter in a Sentence
Noun (1)
We made a shelter from branches.
a shelter for battered women
The organization provides food and shelter for homeless people.
The crowd ran for shelter when the rain started.
They sought shelter from the storm.
Verb
A cave sheltered the climbers during the storm.
They sheltered in a cave while they waited for the storm to pass.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026
There’s also the Second World War air-raid shelter, 10-Z bunker, and the Ossuary at the church of St James, which is the second largest in Europe after Paris’ Catacombs and houses the remains of 50,000 people.
—Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 16 June 2026
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 17 June 2026
The spokesperson said Caltrans partners with local government agencies that are funded, trained and equipped to help people sheltering on state right-of-way to find alternative shelter options.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shelter
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Noun
If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026
There’s also the Second World War air-raid shelter, 10-Z bunker, and the Ossuary at the church of St James, which is the second largest in Europe after Paris’ Catacombs and houses the remains of 50,000 people.
—Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 16 June 2026
Verb
Residents asked to shelter in place LAFD issued a shelter-in-place order for parts of Boyle Heights as the fire continued to burn.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 17 June 2026
The spokesperson said Caltrans partners with local government agencies that are funded, trained and equipped to help people sheltering on state right-of-way to find alternative shelter options.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shelter
Cite this Entry
“Shelter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shelter. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shelter
1 of 2 noun
shel·ter
ˈshel-tər
1
a
: something that covers or protects
an air raid shelter
a fallout shelter
b
: a place that provides food and lodging (as to the homeless)
c
: a place that houses and feeds stray or unwanted animals
2
: the state of being protected
take shelter from a storm
shelter
2 of 2 verb
sheltered; sheltering
-t(ə-)riŋ
1
: to be a shelter for : provide with shelter
2
: to find and use a shelter
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