Synonyms of shelled out

shelled out

verb

past tense of shell out

as in paid

to hand over or use up in payment

we shelled out an obscene amount of money for those concert tickets

Synonyms & Similar Words

• paid
• spent
• forked (over, out, or up)
• laid out
• gave
• expended
• disbursed
• ran through
• outlaid
• dropped
• threw away
• rained
• frittered (away)
• wasted
• lavished
• squandered
• dissipated
• blew

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• saved
• made
• laid up
• acquired
• realized
• secured
• cached
• earned
• won
• procured
• gained
• hoarded
• garnered

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shelled out

Fox paid $485 million for the rights to the 2026 World Cup, while Telemundo shelled out $600 million for the Spanish-language telecasts. — Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026

Now, with less than a month to go before the August 4th primary, AIPAC has already shelled out nearly five times that amount in pro-Stevens and anti-El-Sayed ads. — Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 10 July 2026

According to Mamdani, Swift shelled out six-figures to make that happen. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 10 July 2026

Even at the height of the Miami’s summer slowdown, one buyer just shelled out more than $27 million for a home in the neighborhood at 790 Lake Rd. — Catherine Odom july 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026

People also shelled out for sleep sprays and mists (with orders up by a whopping 632%) to prepare for a deeper reset. — Vidhi Choudhary, Fortune, 7 July 2026

While many gathered on the National Mall to watch a show Trump promised would break a world record, others shelled out big bucks for rooftop viewing. — Liam Scott, Washington Post, 5 July 2026

Soon after, the e-commerce livestreamer in Hangzhou shelled out $30,000 for his first android and turned it into a rental venture. — John Liu, CNN Money, 30 June 2026

The Kansas City tight end shelled out about $1 million on a 10-carat old mine brilliant cut diamond on a gold band, designed by Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry. — Freya Drohan, InStyle, 30 June 2026