as in defeat
failure to win a contest
suffered a shellacking at the hands of a vastly superior opposition
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in drubbing
to defeat by a large margin
the local football team was shellacked 35-0 in their final outing for the season
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shellacking
John Opdycke, New York Daily News, 21 July 2025
Fresh off his shellacking of former New York governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor, New York state assembly member Zohran Mamdani is the hottest guest on the press circuit.
—Kyle Khan-Mullins, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
The Eagles proceeded to rip off 11 straight wins before their season ended with a disappointing 45-7 shellacking by eventual champion Broomfield in the semifinals.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shellacking
Noun
The media is focused on the fight between moderates and progressives as the party seeks to recover from their 2024 shellacking.
—John Opdycke, New York Daily News, 21 July 2025
Fresh off his shellacking of former New York governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor, New York state assembly member Zohran Mamdani is the hottest guest on the press circuit.
—Kyle Khan-Mullins, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Verb
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
The Eagles proceeded to rip off 11 straight wins before their season ended with a disappointing 45-7 shellacking by eventual champion Broomfield in the semifinals.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shellacking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shellacking
Noun
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His commanding position could mark a significant shift in city politics, especially considering the primary defeat of Cuomo and the presence of high-profile opponents such as incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Despite its enormity, the Peasants’ War and its bloody defeat have been forgotten in recent years.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Premier League clubs are overwhelmingly loss-making even with those huge broadcast revenues.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The high-tech formula is powered by a proprietary peptide-and-vitamin-C complex designed to help prevent hair loss.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Video from Camiguin Island, posted by the Philippines Department of the Interior and Local Government, showed fierce winds and ocean water whipping past houses onto a residential street.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
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After whipping Minnesota 22-6 on the road in Week 2, the Falcons were shut out by the Panthers in Week 3.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Connor Jarnagan, who was attacked in December 2022, said an officer told him his beating was the fifth one at In-N-Out that month involving brass knuckles.—
Robert Anglen,
AZCentral.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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These intimidation tactics were heavily deployed during different waves of racial justice riots throughout American history, such as the uprisings over Rodney King’s beating in 1991 and George Floyd’s death in 2020.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America's goals.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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The crew would indeed appear to be at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, because the Navy wasn’t satisfied with disabling the speedboat with a single powerful strike, but kept bombing it to smithereens after the initial hit.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But if those talks yielded any progress, or any setbacks, neither side is talking about it.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
23 Sep. 2025
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Argentine investors cheered the announcement, which came after the peso and stocks had tumbled in recent weeks following Milei’s setback in local elections.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Though Roan is a total force on stage, polished and magnetic while trouncing around a set made to look like an illustrated fairytale castle, the show is not without her signature frankness.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
21 Sep. 2025
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After an uninspiring 10-9 win over Kennesaw State, Wake Forest bounced back in a big way, trouncing Western Carolina 42-10.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The researchers spent years overcoming these issues before finding a condition that worked consistently.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
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After being stuck on a boss, eternally forced to run back and replay swaths of danger for just another slim shot at winning, overcoming most challenges feels less like triumph and more like someone’s mercifully loosened the belt around your neck.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shellacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shellacking. Accessed 28 Sep. 2025.
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