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
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 22 Jan. 2025
But as a 36-14 shellacking in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday night cautioned America … not all of them.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 29 Dec. 2024
But what a resounding response Ohio State had in a 42-14 shellacking of a Tennessee team that allowed more than 20 points only twice in the regular season with 31 on the high end.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
But health wasn’t the only reason Hannegan chose to leave public life: Many of his fellow Democrats blamed him for the party’s shellacking in the 1946 midterms.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for shellacking
Noun
While Ohio State is a perennial ratings draw, even the rich kids from the Big Ten can’t do much to prevent fans from churning away when a shellacking is in the works.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 22 Jan. 2025
But as a 36-14 shellacking in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday night cautioned America … not all of them.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 29 Dec. 2024
But what a resounding response Ohio State had in a 42-14 shellacking of a Tennessee team that allowed more than 20 points only twice in the regular season with 31 on the high end.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
But health wasn’t the only reason Hannegan chose to leave public life: Many of his fellow Democrats blamed him for the party’s shellacking in the 1946 midterms.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for shellacking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shellacking
Noun
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Russian cartoons cast him as Napoleon Bonaparte riding towards defeat in Russia in 1812.—
Fox News,
Fox News,
6 Mar. 2025
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Arsenal has now won five Champions League games in a row, a run stretching back to November’s 1-0 defeat against Inter Milan.—
George Ramsay,
CNN,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
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If the club compounds the loss of Miller’s offensive value by also losing Boeser, whether that happens this week or this summer, then the need for Canucks management to pull a rabbit out of a hat in grafting high-end attacking juice into the lineup will become even more urgent.—
Thomas Drance,
The Athletic,
5 Mar. 2025
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McIlroy’s Boston team needed to beat New York Golf Club on Monday to qualify for the playoffs but fell to a 10-6 loss.—
Ben Church,
CNN,
4 Mar. 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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Related article Iran accuses detained British couple of spying Flogging is a form of beating that involves a whip or rod and is commonly administered to the person’s back.—
Artemis Moshtaghian and Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN,
5 Mar. 2025
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Prosecutors told the panel that the beatings that killed little Ayden began the day before his death.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The big picture: The high court's eventual decision could deal a major setback to the LGBTQ+ community, which the executive branch has already targeted with an executive order blitz that undermines protections and quality of life for transgender people.—
Ina Fried,
Axios,
10 Mar. 2025
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With Starship, the recent failures are a significant setback.—
Ryan Whitwam,
Ars Technica,
10 Mar. 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 13 Mar. 2025.
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