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
Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Adults may end up needing stitches after a knife slips while cutting a pumpkin’s tough shell.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 28 Sep. 2025
There might be larger NSRs These findings challenge existing models of nova recurrence and shell formation, indicating that nova systems may evolve more rapidly than previously thought.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shell
Noun
Preliminary findings indicate that the explosion was caused by a World War II artillery shell that detonated in the apartment, per the police news release.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Adults may end up needing stitches after a knife slips while cutting a pumpkin’s tough shell.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
Zach Agnos and Nick Anderson were both shelled in the seventh as Baltimore batted around in the frame, and then some.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 28 Sep. 2025
There might be larger NSRs These findings challenge existing models of nova recurrence and shell formation, indicating that nova systems may evolve more rapidly than previously thought.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell
Noun
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According to the case's probable cause affidavit, which was reviewed by PEOPLE, Kohberger was caught after a sheath of the knife used in the murders was left at the scene in the bed where Mogen and Goncalves were found.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
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The murder weapon was never recovered, but the killer dropped a Ka-Bar knife sheath near Mogen's body.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There were five more minutes left to play — in Emery’s view, sufficient time to attack with greater structure, moving slowly with numbers upfield.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Despite the discovery of nuclear fission by Otto Hahn in December 1938 and significant achievements of other German physicists and chemists in research on the structure of the atom, the Nazis were not rushing to put that research to use.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The couple’s Victorian house in Bangor has become a site of fan pilgrimage, iconic for its blood-red exterior and intricate black iron gate.—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Open cabinets in the kitchen or bathroom that might have pipes near the exterior of the home.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An art conservator who'd prefer to be immersed in detail work, Sarah is bombing as the host of a dinner party where her entrepreneur husband (Tom Riley) hopes to impress an obnoxious prospective investor (Tom Goodman-Hill) when a literal explosive goes off in her neighborhood.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
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In response, Ukrainian tech innovators are looking for alternatives that would enable the robots to drive faster to increase their chances of completing their missions before they get spotted and bombed by Russian kamikaze drones.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Open alcohol containers and six additional shell casings were found at the original crime scene, according to the release.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Oct. 2025
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McGoey pointed to the importance of shell-casing analysis, phone records and property checks to determine whether the crime was personal or financial.—
Stepheny Price , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
These measurements confirmed that the metals were not forming nanoparticles but were dispersed as single atoms, chemically bound within the carbon framework in the favourable coordination environment — the secret sauce to their exceptional performance, according to a press release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The Caux Round Table for Moral Capitalism will soon convene a process to build the vision and framework for a citywide circular system.—
Todd Lefko,
Twin Cities,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The contributions of Sara Shallenberger Brown, Amelia Brown Frazier and Owsley Brown Frazier barely scratch the surface of what George Garvin Brown’s descendants have done, and continue to do, for the Louisville community.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Oct. 2025
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All that Wednesday fears surfaces once Lucas and his parents Mal (Tucker Boyes) and Alice (Allie Tamburello) arrive.—
Rick Mauch,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Gene’s body was in another part of the house, a sort of mudroom, his cane and sunglasses next to him, the door open to the outside, where another dog, Nikita, ran back and forth, barking.—
Joy Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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Bugatti began barking but quickly settled down knowing Salguero was there to help.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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