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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Floribunda roses require a hard pruning in the spring to encourage large blooms, so only perform maintenance cuts to remove dead or diseased canes in the fall and reduce height.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025 -
Trim off dead roots, bulbs, stems, and canes.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Dozens of agents swarmed the area along with a military vehicle, Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, told USA TODAY, saying agents used batons and mace on demonstrators.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
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Today his agents used batons and pepper spray on street vendors and bystanders on Canal Street.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Sometimes this happens directly, as with her series of three-dimensional sculptures, scattered across the floor of the entire exhibition, that take the form of thin sticks or rods, maybe 2 or 3 feet long and an inch square, made mainly from aluminum.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
27 Oct. 2025
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The extruder gears and rods are made from hardened steel, which resists wear.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Washington had one of the worst pitching staffs in the sport, from top to bottom, and there were pitchers taking up spots that probably didn't factor into the club's long-term vision under Toboni.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
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Showing amid major French luxury brands with mega marketing budgets, sets and huge staffs, Chavarria’s runway shows nonetheless became the buzz of Paris for their authenticity, social commentary — and unique designs for men and women.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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And, in Sean Dyche, Forest have a manager who is well-versed in the challenges of pulling clubs clear of danger in the Premier League.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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Fantastic bands were coming up that were playing in these clubs.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Shillelaghs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shillelaghs. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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