as in spends
to hand over or use up in payment
we shelled out an obscene amount of money for those concert tickets
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Recent Examples of shells out
Google already shells out billions to Apple each year to be the default search engine on iPhones.
—
Samantha Subin, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Samantha Subin, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shells out
Verb
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All the Little Animals is a small movie about a young man (Bale) with brain damage suffered in a car accident who comes across a gentle older man (John Hurt) who spends his days burying animals killed on the side of the road.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
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The user, in turn, spends more time with the chatbot in a bubble.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Often referred to as the state’s chief fiscal officer, the state comptroller pays the state’s bills, monitors fiscal compliance, records transactions and contracts and issues reports that guide the governor and legislature on budget decisions.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
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In Florida, a defendant usually pays 10% of the total bond amount to a bondsman to bail out of jail.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Live Nation’s access to Ticketmaster data gives it a lot of competitive advantages with projecting pricing, which could now include shows that are not its own.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Local original artwork from contemporary Mexican artists lines the walls, custom furniture gives the spaces a stylish touch, and there’s a library with an honor bar that overlooks the peaceful (and oh-so-green) Parque Lincoln.—
Annie Daly,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shells out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shells%20out. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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