as in to spend
to hand over or use up in payment
we shelled out an obscene amount of money for those concert tickets
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shell out
Amazon shares have dropped nearly 6% in 2026 as Wall Street worried that Big Tech may shelling out too much for data center buildouts.
—
Alex Harring, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
This means the perfectionist in you can zero in on the perfect shade of beige or blue without shelling out for customized covers.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
The costly proposal will require Indiana to shell out $251 million from its reserves.
—Kaitlin Lange, IndyStar, 2 Mar. 2026
Higher global energy prices could lead to consumers paying more for gasoline at the pump and shelling out more for groceries and other goods, at a time when many are already feeling the impacts of elevated inflation.
—Cathy Bussewitz, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell out
Alex Harring, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
This means the perfectionist in you can zero in on the perfect shade of beige or blue without shelling out for customized covers.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
The costly proposal will require Indiana to shell out $251 million from its reserves.
—Kaitlin Lange, IndyStar, 2 Mar. 2026
Higher global energy prices could lead to consumers paying more for gasoline at the pump and shelling out more for groceries and other goods, at a time when many are already feeling the impacts of elevated inflation.
—Cathy Bussewitz, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell out
Verb
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Gates is also a disciple of longtime head coach Leonard Hamilton, who spent 1990 to 2000 with Miami and led the Hurricanes to a Sweet Sixteen.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
16 Mar. 2026
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These rulings permit corporations, unions and independent groups to raise and spend unlimited sums, provided the spending is not coordinated with campaigns.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Billy Crystal paid tribute to the late Rob Reiner by highlighting the filmmaker’s many notable movies and impact on the industry.—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
16 Mar. 2026
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The wait times and pay changes are a result of a partial shutdown that began in mid-February after Congress failed to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These arguments lay out the legal battles to come in the months (and potentially years) ahead.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Perhaps a reasonable guideline is to have the municipality lay out the original cash to build a public facility, such as a parking lot or a toll road, and have the users pay a fee for the operation and maintenance of the facilities.—
Harvey Levine,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell%20out. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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