variants
also shillalah
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
the bartender in the Irish pub keeps a shillelagh behind the bar just in case there's trouble
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shillelagh
Sheamus brought Rusev to the first row and then hit the 10 Beats for yet a third time, this time with a shillelagh.
—
Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Maier, who was heading out of town that weekend for a meeting of the National League of Cities, saw the foot-long shillelagh and, according to a Milwaukee Sentinel story by Marta Bender, mistook it for a pipe.
—Chris Foran, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025
The original shillelagh was retired with a new one introduced in 1997.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
There are fleas and chamber pots and thumbed noses and a St. Patrick’s Day picnic that — hold on to your shillelagh!
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Or this:Youu can't pack a shillelagh in your carry-on: TSA finds cudgel at Idaho airport Meg Foster, a justice fellow at Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology, said there are concerns about bias within the algorithms of various facial recognition technologies.
—Rebecca Santana and Rick Gentilo, USA TODAY, 15 May 2023
In contemporary times, some people study bataireacht, a type of Irish martial art, using the shillelagh.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2023
Air travelers, take note: Be sure to keep your guns and your knives and shillelaghs – and your cats for that matter – out of your carry-ons.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 19 Apr. 2023
Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Maier, who was heading out of town that weekend for a meeting of the National League of Cities, saw the foot-long shillelagh and, according to a Milwaukee Sentinel story by Marta Bender, mistook it for a pipe.
—Chris Foran, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025
The original shillelagh was retired with a new one introduced in 1997.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
There are fleas and chamber pots and thumbed noses and a St. Patrick’s Day picnic that — hold on to your shillelagh!
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Or this:Youu can't pack a shillelagh in your carry-on: TSA finds cudgel at Idaho airport Meg Foster, a justice fellow at Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology, said there are concerns about bias within the algorithms of various facial recognition technologies.
—Rebecca Santana and Rick Gentilo, USA TODAY, 15 May 2023
In contemporary times, some people study bataireacht, a type of Irish martial art, using the shillelagh.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2023
Air travelers, take note: Be sure to keep your guns and your knives and shillelaghs – and your cats for that matter – out of your carry-ons.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 19 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shillelagh
Noun
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Video from the protest showed the elderly and people with disabilities among those arrested, including a blind man using a mobility cane and two people in wheelchairs.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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After Bad Bunny kicks off Season 51, SNL will pass the baton to host Amy Poehler with musical guest Role Model, followed by Sabrina Carpenter‘s double-duty takeover as both host and musical guest.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Which is why Marant and Bekker are on a Zoom call one recent morning to chat about the passing of the baton.—
Mark Holgate,
Vogue,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This handheld vacuum cleans messes throughout your home with ease, and this knife block set includes nine different pieces, one pair of sheers, and a honing rod.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The shower rod doubled as her closet.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Vincent Kompany and his staff have chiselled a perfect role for him, with Diaz contributing not only on an individual basis, but in a way that really accentuates Bayern’s other attacking virtues.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The Social Security Administration will continue to issue retirement and disability benefits, but will furlough 12% of its staff and pause marketing campaigns, according to the agency’s shutdown plan.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shillelagh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shillelagh. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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