as in to spend
to hand over or use up in payment
we shelled out an obscene amount of money for those concert tickets
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shell out
Amazon shares have dropped nearly 6% in 2026 as Wall Street worried that Big Tech may shelling out too much for data center buildouts.
—
Alex Harring, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
This means the perfectionist in you can zero in on the perfect shade of beige or blue without shelling out for customized covers.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
The costly proposal will require Indiana to shell out $251 million from its reserves.
—Kaitlin Lange, IndyStar, 2 Mar. 2026
Higher global energy prices could lead to consumers paying more for gasoline at the pump and shelling out more for groceries and other goods, at a time when many are already feeling the impacts of elevated inflation.
—Cathy Bussewitz, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell out
Alex Harring, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
This means the perfectionist in you can zero in on the perfect shade of beige or blue without shelling out for customized covers.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
The costly proposal will require Indiana to shell out $251 million from its reserves.
—Kaitlin Lange, IndyStar, 2 Mar. 2026
Higher global energy prices could lead to consumers paying more for gasoline at the pump and shelling out more for groceries and other goods, at a time when many are already feeling the impacts of elevated inflation.
—Cathy Bussewitz, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell out
Verb
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At thirty-three, Chalker was older than most of his classmates, with more experience professionally and abroad, and he was tapped to spend a day with James Pavitt, then the agency’s director of operations.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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After Brooklyn spent two quarters playing mostly clean, the third quarter got loose.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And the Panthers feel safe with the rest of their inside linebacker depth to not have to pay a lot of money to retain a backup, particularly with the way Cherelus played in 2025.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
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The parents had each paid nine hundred dollars; most had found Squire online.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Anyone who's bought tickets for a live show is likely familiar with Ticketmaster, but lay out for me how Live Nation and Ticketmaster operate.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
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Big Wild was up next on the Be stage, bringing melodic dance and peaceful vibes to the crowd gathered, who swayed to the music or lay out on the grass.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell%20out. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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