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

The shelter-in-place order was gradually diminished in the hours following the accident, but contaminants have since leached into the surrounding area. —Staff, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Nov. 2025

The smoke plume grew for hours, placing all of the city and the surrounding region under a shelter-in-place order for much of the evening. —Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

The blaze is now contained, but a shelter-in-place order remains in effect for the area around the airport. —Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025

Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for nearby neighborhoods due to the heavy smoke and debris. —Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1977, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shelter-in-place

• aromatase
• hydrogenase
• nitrogenase
• oligoclase
• oxygenase
• plagioclase
• polymerase
• streptokinase
• triphosphatase
• abase
• airspace
• apace