shelter

noun

shel·ter | \ ˈshel-tər

Definition of shelter

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : something that covers or affords protection a bomb shelter

b : an establishment providing food and shelter (as to the homeless)

c : an establishment that houses and feeds stray or unwanted animals

2 : a position or the state of being covered and protected took shelter

shelter

verb

sheltered; sheltering\ ˈshel-t(ə-)riŋ

Definition of shelter (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to constitute or provide a shelter for : protect has led a sheltered life

2 : to place under shelter or protection sheltered himself in a mountain cave

3 : to protect (income) from taxation

intransitive verb

: to take shelter

Other Words from shelter Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about shelter

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Other Words from shelter

Noun

shelterless \ ˈshel-tər-ləs

\ adjective

Verb

shelterer \ ˈshel-tər-ər

\ noun

Synonyms for shelter

Synonyms: Noun

asylum, bolt-hole [chiefly British], harbor, harborage, haven, refuge, retreat, sanctuary, sanctum

Synonyms: Verb

harbor, refuge

Examples of shelter in a Sentence

Noun

We made a shelter from branches. a shelter for battered women The organization provides food and shelter for homeless people. The crowd ran for shelter when the rain started. They sought shelter from the storm.

Verb

A cave sheltered the climbers during the storm. They sheltered in a cave while they waited for the storm to pass.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Images of the scene showed a van smashed against a mangled bus shelter. — Washington Post, "6 men injured, 3 critically in Minneapolis bus stop crash," 10 July 2019 The use of e-cigarettes is allowed on the hospitals’ grounds, aside from near doorways, and former smoking shelters have been turned into vaping areas. — Palko Karasz, New York Times, "Two U.K. Hospitals Allow Vape Shops in Bid to Promote Smoking Ban," 10 July 2019 But the ban wouldn’t apply to the sale of animals by shelters or rescue organizations. — Martin E. Comas, orlandosentinel.com, "Oviedo considers banning sale of dogs, cats from puppy mills, kitten factories," 10 July 2019 Comfort bags also help children and teens in the hospital and domestic violence shelters. — courant.com, "Community News For The Windsor Locks Edition," 10 July 2019 They were not transported to shelters and several wandered the streets of Nuevo Laredo looking for help. — Nick Miroff, Anchorage Daily News, "Border arrests drop as Mexico crackdown appears to cut crossings," 10 July 2019 Bridgman said Phase II will add a hurricane shelter as well as 83 more sites. — al.com, "Developer plans high-end Fowl River RV community," 9 July 2019 Wealth, too, in a culture that revolves so completely around its affordances, shelters. — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, "When Jeffrey Epstein Joked About Sex Abuse," 9 July 2019 Further, there is a serious lack of appropriate shelter spaces for people across the metro Denver area including Centennial. — John Aguilar, The Denver Post, "Centennial says no to urban camping, becoming latest metro area community to do so," 8 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

With no place to shelter them, officials release scores into town almost every day. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Facing Trump’s asylum limits, refugees from as far as Africa languish in a Mexican camp," 8 July 2019 Eleven's periodic uncertainty with romance and fashion, as much tied to Hopper sheltering her now as to her laboratory upbringing, accentuates Brown's comic timing and offers necessary interludes between nosebleeds. — Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Stranger Things' Season 3: TV Review," 30 June 2019 Use this time to build up your walls of defense, sheltering yourself from things that can harm your sense of self-worth. — Randon Rosenbohm, Allure, "What May’s Taurus Horoscope Means for You," 30 Apr. 2019 Feeding and sheltering him cost an estimated $1 million a year, authorities said. — Joshua Goodman, The Seattle Times, "After 7 long years, Assange’s capture happened quickly," 16 Apr. 2019 Terrorists hide among civilians to shelter themselves from lawful attack or deliberately cause civilian casualties. — Mark Dubowitz And, WSJ, "Get Serious About Human Shields," 22 Aug. 2018 Firefighters in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, are battling a massive fire at a tire shop that has closed streets and forced residents to shelter in place. — Amy Huschka, Detroit Free Press, "Firefighters battling massive fire at tire shop in Windsor," 23 June 2019 People sheltering in place also should turn off any ventilation drawing air into their home from the outside. — Jeanne Houck, Cincinnati.com, "Chlorine gas release at Covington pool prompts shelter-in-place advisory," 6 June 2019 Law enforcement agencies spent hours clearing the mall, going store to store to check possible hiding places and retrieving those sheltering in place. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, latimes.com, "Police swarm Del Amo mall in Torrance after gunman opens fire; 1 person is wounded," 3 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shelter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.