shoe

1 of 2

noun

plural shoes
1
a
: an outer covering for the human foot typically having a thick or stiff sole with an attached heel and an upper part of lighter material (such as leather)
b
: a metal plate or rim for the hoof of an animal
2
: something resembling a shoe in function or placement
3
shoes plural : another's place, function, or viewpoint
steps from assistant stage manager into the star's shoesSteven Fuller
4
: a device that slows, stops, or controls the motion of an object
especially : the part of a brake that presses on the brake drum
5
a
: any of various devices that are inserted in or run along a track or groove to guide a movement, provide a contact or friction grip, or protect against wear, damage, or slipping
b
: a device (such as a clip or track) on a camera that permits attachment of an accessory item (such as a flash unit)
6
: a dealing box designed to hold several decks of playing cards
shoeless adjective

shoe

2 of 2

verb

shod ˈshäd How to pronounce shoe (audio) also shoed ˈshüd How to pronounce shoe (audio) ; shoeing ˈshü-iŋ How to pronounce shoe (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to furnish with a shoe
2
: to cover for protection, strength, or ornament

Examples of shoe in a Sentence

Noun She bought a pair of shoes. He took off his shoes and socks. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now. Anyone in her shoes would have done the same thing. Verb The blacksmith shod the horse. The horse was taken to be shod.
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.
Noun
To the ambitious and working-class Cherry (Olivia Cooke), Laura’s a helicopter mom who can’t let her 27-year-old son make his own decisions and who treats Cherry like shit on the bottom of her designer shoes. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025 Local reports have said shoes and clothing were seen floated in the water, with some containers appearing to have sunk into the ocean. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
The red corduroy bag (a vintage Fendi Baguette) added some texture to the fit, and her strappy white flat sandals—presumably by The Row, her go-to shoe label—finished it off with even more polish. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025 Bringing the advanced fitting technology within reach to every footwear store worldwide, the Zoe Pro makes better shoe fitting and foot health accessible for all. Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shoe

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English shoo, from Old English scōh; akin to Old High German scuoh shoe

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shoe was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shoe. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

shoe

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: an outer covering for the human foot usually having a thick and somewhat stiff sole and heel and a lighter upper part
2
plural : another's place or point of view
suppose you were in your friend's shoes
3
: the part of a brake that presses on the wheel of a vehicle

shoe

2 of 2 verb
shod ˈshäd How to pronounce shoe (audio) also shoed ˈshüd How to pronounce shoe (audio) ; shoeing ˈshü-iŋ How to pronounce shoe (audio)
: to put a shoe on : furnish with shoes
especially : to put a shoe or shoes on a horse

More from Merriam-Webster on shoe

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