shellacking

noun

shel·​lack·​ing shə-ˈla-kiŋ 

: a decisive defeat : drubbing

Synonyms of shellacking

• 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

Played by a Colman Domingo who is done up to look the most wax figurine of them all in a shellacking of makeup, prosthetics, and colored contacts, Joe is always either giving an avaricious open-mouthed leer or a cold-eyed glare. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026

The Canadian defender — on a late-window transfer to the Rapids from Toronto FC — made a monstrous impact on Saturday night against the Houston Dynamo in a 6-2 shellacking. —Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026

With the second-round shellacking, Texas is in the Sweet 16 round for the fifth time in head coach Vic Schaefer's six-year tenure. —Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 22 Mar. 2026

The Americans went 1-1 in the two-game window, including a 123-88 shellacking of Mexico in which Wiseman scored 8 points with three rebounds and two blocks in 15 minutes. —Joe Vardon, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026

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