1
as in sheath
something that encloses another thing especially to protect it
eating oysters straight out of their shells
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in structure
the arrangement of parts that gives something its basic form
workers at the shipyard have thus far erected the shell of the ship
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in exterior
an outer part or layer
the shell of the building is all glass, making it conspicuous on a street with mostly limestone facades
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shell
Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Feeding Our Future informant testified that Dar al Farooq’s food site was operated by Ibrham’s shell company, Mind Foundry, also known as ThinkTechAct.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2026
Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
Seven people were injured by Russian drones and shelling in the southern city of Nikopol, leaving a 62-year-old in critical condition as the strikes damaged a multistory building and a pharmacy.
—Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell
Noun
The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) announced in mid-April that its archaeologists had found a mortar shell at Culloden Battlefield, just outside Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Feeding Our Future informant testified that Dar al Farooq’s food site was operated by Ibrham’s shell company, Mind Foundry, also known as ThinkTechAct.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
This meant conducting guerrilla attacks and cobbling together missiles and warplanes to shell Iraqi cities.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
Seven people were injured by Russian drones and shelling in the southern city of Nikopol, leaving a 62-year-old in critical condition as the strikes damaged a multistory building and a pharmacy.
—Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell
Noun
-
It was subsequently named as myelin basic protein The discovery of this protein revealed something groundbreaking––the demyelination, or breakdown, of that protective sheath is behind multiple sclerosis.—
Marcy Thompson,
Scientific American,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Temperatures outside the capsule built up to some 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit as a sheath of plasma enveloped the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, and its four long-distance travelers, temporarily blocking radio signals the Moon ship and Mission Control in Houston.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Moon moves through your 10th House of Visibility, where your structure is more noticeable.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
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Last fall, OpenAI overhauled its structure again to become a public benefit corporation, in which the nonprofit and other investors including Microsoft hold stakes.—
Deepa Seetharaman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Hypersail reflects the design DNA of the nameplate, with a sleek carbon-fiber exterior that delivers in terms of aesthetics as well as aerodynamics and hydrodynamics.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
22 Apr. 2026
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Well, my perspective on it is that there’s always stuff going on in the exterior.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These threats are something Shojaei and her family know all too well — her brother Masoud, who is retired from playing, has had his assets frozen by the Iranian regime over recent weeks — while their neighbourhood was bombed by the US-Israeli offensive.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
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Iran drew a line in the sand against Israel continuing to bomb Lebanon.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Prosecutors said shell casings from the gun matched those that were recovered at the hospital.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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Later, however, an indictment alleged that shell casings found at that scene matched the 9mm gun in his possession when he was arrested.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The city’s nightlife offerings — including everything from concert venues and nightclubs to some wine bars and restaurants — are set to see a major overhaul this year as the city’s licensing department proposes changes to its regulatory framework for them.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
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How Power Surges Damage Appliances and Electronics Understanding how power surges can damage your electronics provides a basic framework for planning preventive measures to minimize the risk in your home.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Slow down enough to actually hear what’s being said, not just the surface of it.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
-
That variability, Chen argues, highlights some of the surface-level limitations.—
Michal Ruprecht,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Much like a dog that barks at every little noise and passerby, my skin is reactive.—
Devon Abelman,
Allure,
24 Apr. 2026
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Two soldiers, hands in the air, surrendering and carefully following the orders barked at them by the other side.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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