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
After all, there’s no need to shell out for something like fancy, expensive measuring spoons.
—
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
In the week leading up to the big game, fans who wanted to attend in person at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, needed to be prepared to shell out thousands of dollars on seats.
—CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Most of us will watch the big game from our living rooms rather than shelling out thousands of dollars for a seat in Levi’s stadium.
—Jason Corso, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
But customers paying cash via TrumpRx will still shell out more than $1,500.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell out
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
In the week leading up to the big game, fans who wanted to attend in person at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, needed to be prepared to shell out thousands of dollars on seats.
—CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Most of us will watch the big game from our living rooms rather than shelling out thousands of dollars for a seat in Levi’s stadium.
—Jason Corso, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
But customers paying cash via TrumpRx will still shell out more than $1,500.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell out
Verb
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Paul has a reputation for taking collectibles to extreme levels and has spent millions to secure some of the rarest items ever produced, including NFTs - unique, verifiable digital assets traded on the blockchain.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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Despite our diversity, each of us spent many years in private practice before the Arkansas courts before ascending to service on the state's highest court.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Those who make these claims apparently haven't been paying much attention these past four years, in particular to which side (hint, Russia) has been forced to shed most of that blood.—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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Only recently had many countries stopped treating solo female travelers as a problem to be managed, no longer refusing them hotel rooms when traveling without a man, or denying them credit cards to pay for it.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In his note, Mish and other UBS analysts lay out a baseline scenario in which borrowers of leveraged loans and private credit see a combined $75 billion to $120 billion in fresh defaults by the end of this year.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
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On the table, lay out index cards, ribbon, and markers.—
Kylie Petty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell%20out. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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