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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Rehabilitative strategies that rely on multisensory processing could boost outcomes, such as using canes for mobility or auditory aids that allow the newly-sighted to simultaneously use cues from other senses while learning to see.—
Sachin Rawat,
Big Think,
2 Mar. 2026 -
There were those with canes and walkers, who came of age in Jackson’s time, and those who benefited from his legacy.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Police responded with batons, tear gas and gunfire, leaving 10 people dead and more than 50 injured.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
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Police responded with batons, tear gas, and gunfire, leaving 10 people dead and more than 50 injured.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Shillelaghs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shillelaghs. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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