Synonyms of shelve

shelve

verb

ˈshelv 

as in to postpone

to assign to a later time

let's shelve the project for now

Synonyms & Similar Words

• postpone
• delay
• defer
• wait
• suspend
• put over
• remit
• put off
• lay over
• hold over
• hold off (on)
• hesitate
• hold up
• pause
• prolong
• slow
• stay
• lengthen
• extend
• stretch (out)
• retard
• detain
• protract

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• do
• work (on)
• act
• deal (with)
• decide (upon)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shelve

The article details other instances of similar editorial calls, including TMZ‘s catch-and-kill of a video showing Justin Bieber using a racial slur — for which Levin reportedly paid $80,000 before shelving it. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026

Nearly six months later, Taylor Frankie Paul is recalling her almost happy ever after her season of The Bachelorette was shelved. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026

The project has been shelved, said Enrico Caterino, the government's extraordinary commissioner for the blue crab emergency. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026

It was shelved amid the politics and economics that surround nuclear power in this country, for reasons that had nothing to do with the engineering. — IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2026