as in to wax
to defeat by a large margin
the local football team was shellacked 35-0 in their final outing for the season
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shellac
And it certainly can be noticed, both in its abundance, and in the case of the Warriors’ 129-104 shellacking on Friday night at the hands of the Nuggets in an Emirates Cup group stage matchup, in its absence.
—
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
While Cincinnati’s visit to Detroit was one of the more intriguing matchups on the fall calendar, the loss of Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ subsequent 48-10 shellacking under the horns of the Vikings have made the team a liability of sorts.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Robert Morris opened the campaign with a 45-3 loss at West Virginia before taking a 56-17 shellacking at Youngstown State.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Pritzker shellacked Bailey in 2022.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shellac
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
While Cincinnati’s visit to Detroit was one of the more intriguing matchups on the fall calendar, the loss of Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ subsequent 48-10 shellacking under the horns of the Vikings have made the team a liability of sorts.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Robert Morris opened the campaign with a 45-3 loss at West Virginia before taking a 56-17 shellacking at Youngstown State.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Pritzker shellacked Bailey in 2022.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shellac
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shellac
Verb
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From 2020 to 2023, participation waxed and waned, and the group reexamined their association, experimenting with new models of collectivity, and correcting their unintentional gender bias.—
Catherine Taft,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
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The car should come back washed and waxed for that price.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In a large bowl, cream together room temp butter and sugar, then add sour cream.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Jan. 2026
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Sandy brown, deep blue, and cream conjure up visions of a desert landscape.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For Lucy, that meant realizing that her dad had lied about his true intentions and his role in bombing Shady Sands.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Iran has been refusing requests by the IAEA to inspect the sites bombed in the June war.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Environmental justice advocates say that, in the past, vulnerable communities viewed the federal government as an ally to overcome roadblocks with local and state governments to access resources.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
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And none have the same late-season baggage to overcome as the Red Wings.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The wind and waves whipped around us.—
Richard Greenberg,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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According to initial police reports, the man sitting in the driver’s seat was pistol whipped and robbed of his wallet that contained cash and other personal items.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Prior to his arrest, he was interviewed by People Magazine Investigates at the cemetery where his father is buried.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
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The Gaza Health Ministry currently reports 71,667 deaths, including more than 450 since the October 2025 ceasefire, though Israeli officials said the estimate does not include bodies believed to be buried under rubble.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Broncos had just pasted the Spartans 89-58 and were riding a four-game winning streak, after starting 1-5 in conference play.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
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In the case of the one depicting a man and a woman, the researchers tweaked the image to paste grins on them.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The animals were valued for their fur and often trapped and skinned, while logging destroyed much of their habitat.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
22 Jan. 2026
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In the fall, the workers trade in their pruning shears for knives sharp enough to skin a deer in minutes.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
28 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shellac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shellac. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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