shell out

verb

shelled out; shelling out; shells out
Synonyms of shell outnext
: pay

Examples of shell out in a Sentence

we shelled out an obscene amount of money for those concert tickets
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Manz requested that the restaurant shell out $100,000 to compensate him for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress and lost enjoyment of his New York City trip. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2026 Payton said multiple times around the season’s end that Denver had too many drops in the passing game, but the Broncos haven’t shelled out in an inflated receiver market to fix that. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026 So the idea is that Breakaway goers aren’t shelling out all of this extra money just to get to the concert and stay in town. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for shell out

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shell out was in 1801

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shell%20out. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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