shelve

verb

shelved; shelving
Synonyms of shelvenext

transitive verb

1
: to furnish with shelves
2
: to place on a shelf
shelve books
3
a
: to remove from active service
b
: to put off or aside
shelve a project

intransitive verb

: to slope in a formation like a shelf
shelver noun

Examples of shelve in a Sentence

The books were shelved according to category. let's shelve the project for now
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In a new interview, the Material Girl said the main reason the biopic was shelved was the budget. Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 22 June 2026 Despite all that work, and the fact that music biopics remain heavily bankable, the Madonna film never came to fruition (and no explanation for it being shelved was ever given). Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2026 On the walls were art works by Kerry James Marshall, Rashid Johnson, and Ellen Gallagher, and books shelved in colorful modular storage units. Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 But those plans got shelved, first due to the recession and later due to countywide enrollment declines. Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shelve

Word History

Etymology

shelf

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shelve was in 1598

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shelve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shelve. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

shelve

verb
shelved; shelving
1
: to place on a shelf
shelve books
2
: to put off or aside : defer
shelve a project
shelver noun

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