as in defeat
failure to win a contest
suffered a shellacking at the hands of a vastly superior opposition
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in drubbing
to defeat by a large margin
the local football team was shellacked 35-0 in their final outing for the season
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shellacking
George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
The Warriors are 16-4 with him in the lineup, even after the shellacking.
—Danny Emerman, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
Utah has suffered three blowout losses over the last week and a half: a 7-1 shellacking against the Oilers, a 5-1 home ice defeat to the slumping Red Wings and an embarrassing 8-0 defeat against the Lightning on Thursday.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Per Nielsen, viewers who watched the Eagles’ shellacking of the Chiefs on Tubi were 38% more likely to be members of the coveted adults 18-34 demo than the total-game average.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shellacking
Noun
In California, Democrats gained three House seats and now outnumber Republicans 43 to 9.
Democrats suffered a trifecta loss of Washington power, but not a shellacking — nothing that a more appealing presidential candidate couldn’t have remedied.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
The Warriors are 16-4 with him in the lineup, even after the shellacking.
—Danny Emerman, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
Utah has suffered three blowout losses over the last week and a half: a 7-1 shellacking against the Oilers, a 5-1 home ice defeat to the slumping Red Wings and an embarrassing 8-0 defeat against the Lightning on Thursday.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Per Nielsen, viewers who watched the Eagles’ shellacking of the Chiefs on Tubi were 38% more likely to be members of the coveted adults 18-34 demo than the total-game average.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shellacking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shellacking
Noun
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Another way in which partisanship has brought us to this incipient defeat of the constitutional order is that the Congress has been rendered all but incompetent by faction.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
30 May 2025
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Perhaps the most revealing setback came in the 3-2 Copa del Rey final defeat by Barca.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
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The Democratic Party suffered significant blows in 2024 with President Donald Trump's reelection and the narrow loss of both chambers of Congress.—
Hannah Gaskill,
Baltimore Sun,
27 May 2025
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For me, her passing was also the loss of a cherished friend.—
Alan K. Rode,
Variety,
27 May 2025
Verb
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Elle was also seen whipping her hands in a circle to the music during the awards ceremony.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
6 Jan. 2025
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This instant camera captures little moments and big occasions on film, which feels a little more special than whipping out an iPhone.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Two days after the beating, Ventura had to walk the red carpet for the premiere of her movie, The Perfect Match.—
Danielle Bacher,
People.com,
20 May 2025
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Richard said that the beatings continued in the car on the way home after the dinner.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
19 May 2025
Noun
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Yet Vardy took his early setbacks and used them to become one of the most resilient players in history.—
Ciarán McArdle,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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By all accounts, there has been no setback in his return from the elbow inflammation that has sidelined him since mid-March.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 May 2025
Verb
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Representative Mike Lawler of New York, who has hinted at ambitions for a governor bid in 2026, according to the New York Post, will need to walk a fine line between appeasing his party and not upsetting potential voters in his home state, which could put him at odds with Republicans.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
4 Jan. 2025
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These weeds require control to prevent upsetting the entire turf ecosystem.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shellacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shellacking. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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