plural shelves
ˈshelvz 
1
a
: a thin flat usually long and narrow piece of material (such as wood) fastened horizontally (as on a wall) at a distance from the floor to hold objects
b
: one of several similar pieces in a closet, bookcase, or similar structure
c
: the contents of a shelf
the author of a shelf of bestsellers
2
: something resembling a shelf in form or position: such as
a
: a sandbank or ledge of rocks usually partially submerged
b
: a flat projecting layer of rock
c
: the submerged gradually sloping border of a continent or island : continental shelf
Examples of shelf in a Sentence
Put the vase on the shelf.
the top shelf of the kitchen cabinet
Will you get that book down off the shelf?
We don't have much shelf space.
Recent Examples on the Web
The pages sit on desks and shelves, catching eyes long after the initial read.
—
Vikrant Shaurya, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
My Good Side hits shelves on July 22 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.
—Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 14 July 2025
Now in Bong county, where Phay lives, medicine shelves in health clinics are almost empty.
—arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025
While these abuses may seem distant, Taiwan is the world’s seventh-largest seafood exporter, with its catch ending up on dining tables around the globe – meaning seafood on supermarket shelves may have been caught by exploited workers.
—Eric Cheung, CNN Money, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shelf
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Vikrant Shaurya, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
My Good Side hits shelves on July 22 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.
—Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 14 July 2025
Now in Bong county, where Phay lives, medicine shelves in health clinics are almost empty.
—arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025
While these abuses may seem distant, Taiwan is the world’s seventh-largest seafood exporter, with its catch ending up on dining tables around the globe – meaning seafood on supermarket shelves may have been caught by exploited workers.
—Eric Cheung, CNN Money, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shelf
Cite this Entry
“Shelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shelf. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shelf
noun
plural shelves
ˈshelvz
1
: a flat piece (as of wood or metal) set parallel to and above a floor (as on a wall or in a bookcase) to hold objects
2
: something (as a sandbar or ledge of rock) that suggests a shelf
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