shell out

verb

shelled out; shelling out; shells out
Synonyms of shell outnext
: pay

Synonyms of shell out

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Examples of shell out in a Sentence

we shelled out an obscene amount of money for those concert tickets
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
So shoppers are shelling out more for groceries and any other goods that must be transported. — Michel Robe, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026 Yes, the suspiciously delicious chicken shelled out at mall food courts on toothpicks is most likely bourbon chicken. — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026 While Disney no longer wanted to shell out more than $100 million a year to carry the Oscars, the company was willing to take on the Grammy Awards when CBS decided to pass. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 And the men who have shelled out between $2,100 and $20,000 for various tiers of tickets to SlutCon, most of whom worked in tech or engineering, are here to learn. — Nicholas Clairmont, Air Mail, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shell out

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shell out was in 1801

Rhymes for shell out

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Browse Nearby Words

shell money
shell out
shell parrakeet
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Cite this Entry

“Shell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shell%20out. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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