SHELL OUT Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

shell out

verb

Definition of shell out

as in to spend

to hand over or use up in payment we shelled out an obscene amount of money for those concert tickets

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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.

Recent Examples of shell out Then on August 10, a large container ship paid a staggering $4 million to fast-track its trip — leaving others, either unwilling or unable to shell out that kind of sum, in maritime limbo. — Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 Tech’s hyperscalers are shelling out hundreds of billions of dollars this year on capital expenditures to fuel data center develop and purchase the graphics processing units needed to fill them. — Kate Rooney, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026 But the Dodgers are the greatest show in baseball, playing before stadiums packed with fans willing to shell out top dollar to see a roster that includes international superstars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Residents described throwing away food, shelling out for generators and sending their children away to family. — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shell out

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shell out

Verb

Robert spent the prior six years with Chicago, hitting 38 home runs and stealing 20 bases in 2023, his best season and lone All-Star appearance.

— Will Sammon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
While higher earners had been spending more using credit cards, the institute said the gap across income classes began narrowing in May of this year.

— Alex Harring, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of spend

Verb

Google will pay an additional $190 million to Entergy for transmission system upgrades needed to serve the project.

— Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
With consumers paying an average of $49,855 for new cars in July 2026, according to Cox Automotive's Kelley Blue Book, only nine major car brands averaged sale prices under $40,000 in the United States.

— Keith Laing, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of pay

Verb

That vision quickly gets a lot more ambitious — and a lot more chaotic — as Murdoch and Larry lay out their plans for shaking up the newspaper world.

— Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Nicholas was forced to contact members and lay out an extended plan for how the surfaces would be improved, ranging from the straightforward to the nuclear.

— Ben Jones Aug. 26, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of lay out

Browse Nearby Words

shelling out

shell out

shells

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“Shell out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shell%20out. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shell out

verb

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