shelter-in-place

adjective

variants or less commonly shelter in place
: instructing or requiring people to remain in their current location until a danger has passed
The governor has issued a shelter-in-place order.
: of or relating to sheltering in place
shelter-in-place drills
see also shelter in place at shelter entry 2

Examples of shelter-in-place in a Sentence

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.
Shenzhen, China’s third most populous city and a major financial hub, was under a shelter-in-place order yesterday, but that has now been lifted. Claire Cameron, semafor.com, 28 Sep. 2025 The shelter-in-place order was lifted Friday morning. John Aguilar, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025 Last month, the Dallas field office issued a shelter-in-place order after a man approached the building and claimed to have an explosive device in his backpack, officials said. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025 The facility immediately went into a shelter-in-place order, and Dallas police were called to the scene. Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shelter-in-place

Word History

First Known Use

1977, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shelter-in-place was in 1977

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Cite this Entry

“Shelter-in-place.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shelter-in-place. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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