variants
also shillalah
as in cane
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
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Recent Examples of shillelagh
Sheamus brought Rusev to the first row and then hit the 10 Beats for yet a third time, this time with a shillelagh.
—
Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Maier, who was heading out of town that weekend for a meeting of the National League of Cities, saw the foot-long shillelagh and, according to a Milwaukee Sentinel story by Marta Bender, mistook it for a pipe.
—Chris Foran, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025
The original shillelagh was retired with a new one introduced in 1997.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
There are fleas and chamber pots and thumbed noses and a St. Patrick’s Day picnic that — hold on to your shillelagh!
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Or this:Youu can't pack a shillelagh in your carry-on: TSA finds cudgel at Idaho airport Meg Foster, a justice fellow at Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology, said there are concerns about bias within the algorithms of various facial recognition technologies.
—Rebecca Santana and Rick Gentilo, USA TODAY, 15 May 2023
In contemporary times, some people study bataireacht, a type of Irish martial art, using the shillelagh.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2023
Air travelers, take note: Be sure to keep your guns and your knives and shillelaghs – and your cats for that matter – out of your carry-ons.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 19 Apr. 2023
Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Maier, who was heading out of town that weekend for a meeting of the National League of Cities, saw the foot-long shillelagh and, according to a Milwaukee Sentinel story by Marta Bender, mistook it for a pipe.
—Chris Foran, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025
The original shillelagh was retired with a new one introduced in 1997.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
There are fleas and chamber pots and thumbed noses and a St. Patrick’s Day picnic that — hold on to your shillelagh!
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Or this:Youu can't pack a shillelagh in your carry-on: TSA finds cudgel at Idaho airport Meg Foster, a justice fellow at Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology, said there are concerns about bias within the algorithms of various facial recognition technologies.
—Rebecca Santana and Rick Gentilo, USA TODAY, 15 May 2023
In contemporary times, some people study bataireacht, a type of Irish martial art, using the shillelagh.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2023
Air travelers, take note: Be sure to keep your guns and your knives and shillelaghs – and your cats for that matter – out of your carry-ons.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 19 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shillelagh
Noun
-
Soon after, images of Blair walking red carpets with a jeweled cane went viral, symbolizing a new kind of beauty and strength.—
Emily Cegielski,
Flow Space,
10 Oct. 2025
-
One older woman, sparkling in a long gown, worked the carpet before collecting her cane and a Neiman’s shopping bag from a handler.—
Leigh Nordstrom,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Soon joined by colleagues, the officer used a baton to shatter the driver’s side window before pulling an unresponsive man to safety.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
11 Oct. 2025
-
The holy grail at the end of the tunnel is the idea that Burrow could return for January football intact to take the baton and make a run at a championship.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Despite being adopted a couple of years ago, the reform continues to be a lightening rod for French politics, with both the left and the far-right calling for its amendment, if not its repeal altogether.—
Charlotte Reed,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The hand blender also comes with dough hooks for effortless kneading and a blending rod for soups and smoothies.—
Mark Marino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Flip Putthoff is a staff photographer and outdoors reporter.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Oct. 2025
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The second challenge is building trust with her new staff.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shillelagh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shillelagh. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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