as in knives
an instrument with a metal length that has a sharp edge for cutting
slashed at the prison guard with a shank he had secretly made from a scrap of metal
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Recent Examples of shanks
Think short ribs, oxtail, shanks, or even brisket point cut.
—
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
Lucrezia’s Regularly voted the region’s top Italian restaurant, Lucrezia’s serves housemade pasta, classic Italian appetizers, and braised lamb shanks and short ribs in a garden setting.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 21 Nov. 2025
Boos rain down as Jeremy Crawshaw shanks that punt off the side of his foot.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2025
Homemade knives, called shanks, are plentiful inside the prison, several inmates said.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
Some of my favorite cuts for braising include pork shoulder, beef brisket, short ribs, chicken thighs, and lamb shanks.
—Carole Kotkin, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Lamb shanks are braised in Malbec till they can be shredded and made into croquettes with provoleta cheese and a yogurt mint sauce.
—John Mariani, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
After a couple shanks, Sanchez launches one on line.
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Frozen lamb shanks were improperly thawed in the prep sink without running water.
—Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
Lucrezia’s Regularly voted the region’s top Italian restaurant, Lucrezia’s serves housemade pasta, classic Italian appetizers, and braised lamb shanks and short ribs in a garden setting.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 21 Nov. 2025
Boos rain down as Jeremy Crawshaw shanks that punt off the side of his foot.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2025
Homemade knives, called shanks, are plentiful inside the prison, several inmates said.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
Some of my favorite cuts for braising include pork shoulder, beef brisket, short ribs, chicken thighs, and lamb shanks.
—Carole Kotkin, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Lamb shanks are braised in Malbec till they can be shredded and made into croquettes with provoleta cheese and a yogurt mint sauce.
—John Mariani, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
After a couple shanks, Sanchez launches one on line.
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Frozen lamb shanks were improperly thawed in the prep sink without running water.
—Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shanks
Noun
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Two Miami-Dade high school students brought knives onto the school bus Friday with the intention of using it against another student, police said.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
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While being essential tools, knives and axes have violent connotations, suggesting a history of violence and seve- rance.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Count Kimbrel among the pitchers who are working on cutters this spring as well.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
14 Mar. 2026
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Several Mets pitchers, including Manaea and Devin Williams, are working on cutters to give their arsenals another distinct pitch to land in the strike zone.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shanks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shanks. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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