1
as in sheaths
something that encloses another thing especially to protect it
eating oysters straight out of their shells
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in structures
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 exteriors
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of shells
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
5 July 2026
Organizers said the display featured three times as many fireworks shells as in previous years — the largest fireworks Stars & Stripes show to date.
—
Sophia Buonpane,
Kansas City Star,
5 July 2026
Trump will be followed by a record-breaking fireworks display over Washington, DC, with nearly 850,000 fireworks shells to be launched from 10 sites spanning the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Potomac River barges and West Potomac Park.
—
Diego Mendoza,
CNN Money,
4 July 2026
Multiple moons in the outer solar system — Saturn's Enceladus and Jupiter's Europa, for example — host big liquid-water oceans beneath their icy shells.
—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
3 July 2026
Such a beautiful sculpture, mimicking the swirls found in nature (the cosmos, shells, Fibonacci-following topiary) felt a far cry from the swirl of emotions prompted by my favorite TV shows.
—
Lara Johnson-Wheeler,
Vogue,
3 July 2026
At one point in March, Syria accused Hezbollah of launching artillery shells across the border toward Syrian army positions, which Hezbollah denied.
—
ABC News,
28 June 2026
For cherry pits with hard shells, soaking can soften them, enabling roots to emerge more easily.
—
Sj McShane,
Martha Stewart,
27 June 2026
Choose small shells with smooth edges that will fit inside your ice mold.
—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 June 2026
E. Alex Jung,
Vulture,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
The capital’s traditional Independence Day show had 10,000 shells lasting 18 minutes.
—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
5 July 2026
Organizers said the display featured three times as many fireworks shells as in previous years — the largest fireworks Stars & Stripes show to date.
—
Sophia Buonpane,
Kansas City Star,
5 July 2026
Trump will be followed by a record-breaking fireworks display over Washington, DC, with nearly 850,000 fireworks shells to be launched from 10 sites spanning the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Potomac River barges and West Potomac Park.
—
Diego Mendoza,
CNN Money,
4 July 2026
Multiple moons in the outer solar system — Saturn's Enceladus and Jupiter's Europa, for example — host big liquid-water oceans beneath their icy shells.
—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
3 July 2026
Such a beautiful sculpture, mimicking the swirls found in nature (the cosmos, shells, Fibonacci-following topiary) felt a far cry from the swirl of emotions prompted by my favorite TV shows.
—
Lara Johnson-Wheeler,
Vogue,
3 July 2026
At one point in March, Syria accused Hezbollah of launching artillery shells across the border toward Syrian army positions, which Hezbollah denied.
—
ABC News,
28 June 2026
For cherry pits with hard shells, soaking can soften them, enabling roots to emerge more easily.
—
Sj McShane,
Martha Stewart,
27 June 2026
Choose small shells with smooth edges that will fit inside your ice mold.
—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 June 2026
Verb
During the drive, a tank shells the car, killing most of the occupants.
—
E. Alex Jung,
Vulture,
11 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shells
Noun
-
Opt for bigger hanging bulbs, discrete flickers, or even hanging sheaths.
-
The payload was designed to test a hypersonic navigation system capable of accurately identifying spacecraft position, even when communications are blocked by intense plasma sheaths during hypersonic flight.
Noun
-
Even in Caracas, where only five buildings collapsed, Rodríguez said at least 30 additional structures have already been classified as unsafe.
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Or gawky characters, all angular bone structures and willowy limbs?
Noun
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Logos plastered on the truck’s exteriors advertise its affiliation with Freedom 250, which the White House created last year to organize patriotic activities for the anniversary.
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According to home exteriors expert Dan Staupe, the practice is a major waste of energy.
Verb
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His wife, Yusra Abu-Alhasab, peels back the curtain to tell her husband something in Arabic.
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This peels the macro noise off the 10-K, leaving behind a clean, company-specific dataset that background models can actually calculate.
Verb
-
The campus is eerily silent, even as Israel attacks Lebanon and the United States bombs Iran.
-
The United States bombs Iran's nuclear facilities days later.
Noun
-
At least six shell casings were recovered from the scene of the shooting, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson Eliza Durham.
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During the investigation, shell casings found at the scene were later compared to a firearm Craig admitted belonged to him, the release said.
Noun
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Molecular design matters Unlike conventional porous carbon materials that interact weakly with polysulfides, covalent organic frameworks can be engineered with precise pore structures and chemical functionalities.
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The challenge is keeping these frameworks in sync with technology.
Noun
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If a sensitive topic surfaces, state your needs and invite theirs while keeping the tone steady and respectful.
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Paul walks the cavern’s polished concrete floor, absorbs its hum, grazes its plastic surfaces with his fingertips.
Cite this Entry
“Shells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shells. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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