shelve

verb

ˈshelv 

shelved; shelving

transitive verb

1

: to furnish with shelves

2

: to place on a shelf

shelve books

3

a

: to remove from active service

b

: to put off or aside

shelve a project

intransitive verb

: to slope in a formation like a shelf

shelver noun

Synonyms of shelve

• postpone
• delay
• defer

Examples of shelve in a Sentence

The books were shelved according to category.

let's shelve the project for now

Recent Examples on the Web

And some projects like hydro dams may be permanently shelved, hindering Nepal’s ambitions to diversify its economy by exporting energy to neighbors like India and Bangladesh. — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

The boycott has been shelved but UEFA and several of its member nations have come out against Infantino since. — Luke Bosher, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

The article details other instances of similar editorial calls, including TMZ‘s catch-and-kill of a video showing Justin Bieber using a racial slur — for which Levin reportedly paid $80,000 before shelving it. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026

Nearly six months later, Taylor Frankie Paul is recalling her almost happy ever after her season of The Bachelorette was shelved. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

shelf

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for shelve

• delve
• twelve

Kids Definition

shelve

verb

ˈshelv 

shelved; shelving

1

: to place on a shelf

shelve books

2

: to put off or aside : defer

shelve a project

shelver noun