shellac

verb

Definition of shellacnext
as in to wax
to defeat by a large margin the local football team was shellacked 35-0 in their final outing for the season

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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 shellac We got shellacked in the last election, right? — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 26 June 2026 Pamphlets detailing how goods were disinfected prior to sale shellacked an additional veneer of respectability onto the enterprise. — Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 Roasted potatoes are shellacked with buttery crumbs. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 8 June 2026 Right now, for instance, PennyMac has been shellacked, off 15% year-to-date even with its monster dividend included. — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shellac
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shellac
  1. wax
  2. cream
  3. overcome
  4. bomb
  5. whip
  6. skin
  7. paste
  8. bury
Verb
  • But the government’s interest in the domain has waxed and waned.
    — Kathleen Curlee, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2026
  • What to read next As the week progresses, watch for the moon returning to the evening sky as a slender waxing crescent.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of wax
Verb
  • Pair it with taupe, mushroom, or cream for contrast that never feels harsh.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The two dishes that have remained on its menu are its the lumache alla norcina (Barham’s sausage with mushrooms, white wine and cream $23) and the spicy vodka radiatori (creamy stracciatella and Parmesan for $21).
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of cream
Verb
  • For now, the study identifies a previously underappreciated part of the immune system that could help overcome one of SCLC’s most persistent defenses.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But Gordon has emerged as Miami’s clear lead back, capable of overcoming a poor situation.
    — Dalton Del Don, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • Early that morning, an Argentinean naval tug had been bombed by the British, destroying its communications systems.
    — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Patinkin is the latest star to voice his support for Digger after the film was savaged by many critics and bombed at the box office.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bomb
Verb
  • Now imagine whipping your phone out after work, telling the world about it, and landing a brand deal worth $10K or more.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Now imagine the same hot and dry conditions, but with the Santa Anas whipping at 40 miles an hour.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of whip
Verb
  • Yamaguchi prepared each course live, skinning a pike conger or breaking down live lobsters from his perch behind the grill.
    — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Formulated with retinol, collagen, and hyaluronic acid, the anti-aging cream smooths and firms skin.
    — Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of skin
Verb
  • Neither is pasting historical motifs onto a contemporary product or using traditional culture as decorative packaging.
    — Li Jun, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Also be especially cautious if a webpage tells you to open Windows Run, PowerShell or Command Prompt and paste something into it.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of paste
Verb
  • Their deaths had been concealed, and their remains buried on site.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Florida woman accused of killing her boyfriend and burying him in a shallow grave was found guilty of his murder.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of bury

Browse Nearby Words

shell
shellac
shellacked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shellac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shellac. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on shellac

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shellac

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All