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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of shell
Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
Once a sea turtle begins to struggle, the barnacles and algae that latch onto its shell compound the problem.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2026
Sacbee.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Beyond shelling, outdoor life defines the island.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell
Noun
Epibionts — barnacles, algae, other marine organisms — latch onto a turtle’s shell and body.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
Once a sea turtle begins to struggle, the barnacles and algae that latch onto its shell compound the problem.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
Blue Diamond opened the first portion of its almond-shelling plant in 1914.
—Sacbee.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Beyond shelling, outdoor life defines the island.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell
Noun
-
The religious article, called a kirpan, cannot be longer than 10 inches and must be contained in a sheath to wear in City Hall, according to the ordinance.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
11 Mar. 2026
-
For cocktail dresses with some fabric texture, consider this tulle midi dress or this lace sheath dress—both of which come in a multitude of spring color options.—
Anna Popp,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The fire destroyed more than 160 structures and charred 25,000 acres in Orange and Riverside counties.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Gentle structure supports your peace, and kindness still gets results.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Presence of stones Classified as a thescelosaurid, this bipedal dinosaur was part of a lineage found across East Asia and North America, potentially characterized by a fuzzy exterior.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
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The restoration included extensive repair work to the building’s brick exterior, new denim insulation and a rooftop photovoltaic array to improve energy efficiency.—
Mark Lamster,
Dallas Morning News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After invading Ukraine, Russia bombed civilians and cut off their heat and electricity.—
Nicholas D. Kristof,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
-
In July 2006, Israel bombed the airport during a previous war with Hezbollah.—
Raf Sanchez,
NBC news,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The items included spent bullet casings, ammunition boxes, cell phones and radios and a flash bang device.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Numerous shell casings were recovered at the scene.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Many adopt a Christian-nationalist framework, arguing that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and should be governed as such.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Over the past month, major Chinese cloud providers debuted their own version of OpenClaw, local governments dangled grants to startups that build OpenClaw apps, and a cottage industry sprung up helping users install the open-source framework.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Its intensity is important because meteorologists use such measurements, in addition to surface temperatures, to compare heat waves throughout history and conduct studies of climate change’s influence.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Particulate matter, or PM, is the mixture of tiny solid and liquid matter that collects on surfaces and floats in the air.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The journal indicates that Niko, Mann’s large, unruly poodle, barked as the intrepid teen-agers approached the front door.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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As Kansas coach Bill Self barked orders from the sideline inside T-Mobile Center, the tide was starting to turn.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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