shelve

verb

ˈshelv 

shelved; shelving

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

Synonyms

• defer
• delay
• hold off (on)
• hold over
• hold up
• lay over
• postpone
• put off
• put over
• remit

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

But the owner of the White Gates home built in the 1950s isn't shelving all plans to demolish the house. —Catherine Reagor, The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024

Advertisement The 34-year-old actor’s high-profile domestic violence case brought his quick ascent to Hollywood stardom to a screeching halt as studios shelved upcoming film projects starring Majors, publicity and management firms reportedly dropped the actor and he was cut from ad campaigns. —Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024

Large windows flood both areas with natural light that illuminates shelving displays and a number of high-end appliances. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2024

Tesla stock fell as much as 6% on Friday, some $32 billion, after Reuters reported that Elon Musk’s EV maker was shelving a yearslong plan to produce an affordable electric car. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024

Eli Lilly had expected to make the treatment available to patients early this year, but the convening of the panel means those plans will have to be shelved for the time being. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024

Third, the new leader should shelve raising shareholder value as a priority. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024

Splendour, once the hottest ticket on the festivals calendar, has endured a particularly tough run, first with the pandemic, which saw the announced, then shelved several times during the pandemic. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2024

It is hoped that Jeffrey Springs (TJ surgery) and Drew Rasmussen (non-TJ elbow procedure), shelved in April and May, respectively, return at some point in the season’s second half. —Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

shelf

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

shelve

verb

ˈshelv 

shelved; shelving

1

: to place on a shelf

shelve books

2

: to put off or aside : defer

shelve a project

shelver noun