variants
also shillalahs
as in canes
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
the bartender in the Irish pub keeps a shillelagh behind the bar just in case there's trouble
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shillelaghs
Noun
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The Cracker Barrel in Belleville still has lots of space between the tables, which is good, because a statistically improbable number of customers the other morning were using canes or walkers.—
Neal Rubin,
Freep.com,
28 Aug. 2025 -
Fennell explained that grapevine canes, the woody stems that support grape clusters, are an abundant, cellulose-rich material, and are available in the large quantities each year after harvest.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The officers used batons and the butts of their rifles to strike the men in the face, neck, chest, and abdomen.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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This is not just the violence of batons or bullets, but the quieter devastation inflicted by law through denial, deferral or bureaucratic neglect.—
Hansel Alejandro Aguilar,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The proteins fit together in the same way as in eukaryotes, although the structures were made up of five rods, rather than 13, making a miniature tubule.—
Veronique Greenwood,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Sep. 2025
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And also that people have used four branches of witch hazel as the vining rods or witching sticks to find water.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The top firms have staffs of several thousand employees who are expensive but have proven worthwhile.—
Hank Tucker,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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The news and editorial staffs of Southern California News Group and The San Diego Union-Tribune had no role in this post’s preparation.—
Melanie Marshall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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All proceeds from the event went to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Arkansas, which serves more than 8,000 children at its five clubs in the metro area.—
Michael Harley,
Arkansas Online,
12 Sep. 2025
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Unrivaled Experiences Growth Spurt Unrivaled will expand ahead of its second season with the addition of two new clubs and a development player pool, the league announced Wednesday.—
Roberta F. Rodrigues,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Shillelaghs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shillelaghs. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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