shellacking

noun

shel·​lack·​ing shə-ˈla-kiŋ 

: a decisive defeat : drubbing

Synonyms

• defeat
• loss
• beating
• setback

Examples of shellacking in a Sentence

They took a shellacking in yesterday's game.

suffered a shellacking at the hands of a vastly superior opposition

Recent Examples on the Web

Fresh off his shellacking of former New York governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor, New York state assembly member Zohran Mamdani is the hottest guest on the press circuit. —Kyle Khan-Mullins, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025

After their most recent home loss on May 5, the Thunder bounced back with a 43-point shellacking of the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of their second-round playoff battle. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 June 2025

Rea allowed six runs on 10 hits in his second straight shellacking by the Reds. —Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025

Smith, the wunderkind prospect who made the Houston Astros’ roster after just 134 professional plate appearances, launched his first major-league home run in the eighth inning of Friday’s 14-3 shellacking of the Los Angeles Angels. —Chandler Rome, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shellacking

• attacking
• backpacking
• backtracking
• hijacking
• kayaking
• meatpacking
• ransacking
• repacking
• unpacking
• backing
• blacking
• clacking

Kids Definition

shellacking

noun

shel·​lack·​ing

shə-ˈlak-iŋ

: a lopsided defeat