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shed

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word shed different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of shed are cast, discard, junk, scrap, and slough. While all these words mean "to get rid of," shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster.

shed a bad habit
finally sloughed off the depression

When would cast be a good substitute for shed?

Although the words cast and shed have much in common, cast, especially when used with off, away, or out, implies a forceful rejection or repudiation.

cast off her friends

When is it sensible to use discard instead of shed?

While the synonyms discard and shed are close in meaning, discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless.

discard old clothes

How do scrap and junk relate to one another, in the sense of shed?

Both scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form.

scrap all the old ways
would junk our educational system

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shed
Verb
However, maintaining proper care, such as draining the hose at the end of the season and storing it in a garage or shed sheltered from the elements, can extend the life of the hose. Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025 But finding sheds consistently is a little more complicated than walking through bedding areas. Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
Some boards have sought large-scale changes, such as reducing the dimensions of sheds, restaurant owners said. Matthew Haag, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025 Also, people no longer commonly search for or list homes with Zoom rooms, office sheds, or exercise bike rooms. Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shed
Verb
  • The roof of a former factory in the process of being converted into a self-storage facility in Steger was peeled away during the storm, Steger Fire Chief Michael Long said.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and peel them once they are cooled.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Endeavor has been steadily unloading assets in the wake of an April 2024 announcement that private equity giant Silver Lake—already a sizable Endeavor investor—would be taking the company private at $27.5 per share.
    Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The 46-year-old has been unloading a lot of baggage lately.
    Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • My favorite hut is Zealand, because the wood-burning stove keeps the bunks toasty on chilly nights.
    Outside Online, Outside Online, 12 Mar. 2025
  • In December 2024, the brand opened a cute hut that could have been plucked out of a Disney cartoon on the beach of the St. Regis Kanai Resort in Riviera Maya.
    Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 9 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Eight years later, Democrats have devolved into nostrums about appealing to the middle class, ditching academic language, and finding a uniting message.
    Alexander Nazaryan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025
  • After class, ditch the grip socks and turn it into a look with your favorite cardigan or leather jacket.
    Aemilia Madden, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • As this happens, the booster stage begins to spiral, simultaneously dumping what remains of its fuel.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 25 Mar. 2025
  • As the upper stage continues towards space, the lower stage falls, spiraling back to Earth, dumping what remains of its fuel.
    Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Ginny Wiley, now in her 80s, grew up in her grandfather’s store, a wooden shack called Wiley’s Bait and Tackle, and took it over decades later.
    Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2025
  • This island leans more rural, with a heavy agriculture presence and a few bonafide seafood shacks.
    Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Rice, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and gravy were discarded after they were measured too cold to be safe.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • However, when cashew nuts are processed, the cashew apple, although edible, is often discarded or left unused in many commercial nut processing systems.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Once opened, coffee loses flavor after two weeks and is best enjoyed within six months.
    Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Will cutting sustainability contribute to losing trust with employees, consumers, and communities?
    Paul Klein, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shed. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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