1
as in sheath
something that encloses another thing especially to protect it
eating oysters straight out of their shells
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in structure
the arrangement of parts that gives something its basic form
workers at the shipyard have thus far erected the shell of the ship
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in exterior
an outer part or layer
the shell of the building is all glass, making it conspicuous on a street with mostly limestone facades
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shell
Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
In 2024 Israeli operatives infiltrated Hezbollah’s supply chain and used shell companies to sell members pagers and walkie-talkies rigged with explosives.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Many families pack up and head straight to powdery white sand and clear blue water each March and April, where relaxation (and occasionally shelling) are the only two items on the agenda.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell
Noun
Prebake a crust, whisk together a filling, pour it into the pie shell and let the oven do the rest.
—Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
In 2024 Israeli operatives infiltrated Hezbollah’s supply chain and used shell companies to sell members pagers and walkie-talkies rigged with explosives.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
The suspects allegedly used fake identities and shell accounts to funnel the proceeds, which were wired to accounts under their control.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Many families pack up and head straight to powdery white sand and clear blue water each March and April, where relaxation (and occasionally shelling) are the only two items on the agenda.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell
Noun
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These white threads are cloaked in sheaths of chitin — the same sugar polymer that forms the tough exoskeletons of beetles, crabs, and lobsters — and can be easily grown in flasks and Petri dishes.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Production quirks like volume and pitch changes, multiple beat switches, brash sonic redirections punctuated by everything from samples of glass shattering to synth stabs puncturing through sheaths of filters, make for a kind of chaotic symphony that feels deliriously of the moment.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The leader of the historic church in Downtown Dallas, Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress, vowed to rebuild the iconic structure.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Architecture like this, which reveals its structure while producing its effects, can make a museum feel slightly more humane.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
An impressive revolving stage, which displayed both the exterior of the bank and the bland lobby inside, toggled smoothly between scenes.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The rehab project at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption was sorely needed to repair deteriorated stone, metal and glass that adorns the limestone exterior.—
Dylan Lovan,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One of the sites bombed that day was an Iranian school, leading to at least 175 deaths, most of them children.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The United States bombed the Isfahan facility along with two other nuclear sites on June 22.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
About two dozen shell casings were recovered from the crime scene, authorities said.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Police recovered one shell casing at the scene.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Riki Parikh, policy director at the non-profit Alliance for Secure AI, said the framework isn't specific enough on issues such as the potential role of the technology in job replacement.—
Deepa Shivaram,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
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At least one of those facilitators is a licensed mental health practitioner, said Katz, who served on the board of the Oregon Psilocybin Training Alliance (OPTA) and on committees helping to shape the state’s framework, but does not have a therapeutic or medical background himself.—
Natalia V. Osipova,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Place on a surface; remove baking sheet.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
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For firmer items, such as cucumbers or melons, the FDA recommends scrubbing their surfaces with a clean produce brush.—
Emma Gometz,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The 16-month-old kangaroo named Chesney had escaped from an outside enclosure in Necedah on March 25, after being frightened by some unknown barking dogs.—
Hannah Kirby,
jsonline.com,
28 Mar. 2026
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In the past few years, Underwood has come to realize that a bunch of barking alphas may not, in fact, be the best way to build a successful pack.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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