shellacking 1 of 2

noun

shə-ˈla-kiŋ How to pronounce shellacking (audio)
Definition of shellackingnext
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

shellacking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of shellac
as in whipping
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

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 shellacking
Noun
Norway will be appearing at their first major tournament since Euro 2000, but having plundered a remarkable 37 goals in their eight qualifying matches (which included an 11-1 shellacking of Moldova in which Haaland scored five goals), Stale Solbakken’s side could be one of the teams to watch. — Tom Williams, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026 The Canadian defender — on a late-window transfer to the Rapids from Toronto FC — made a monstrous impact on Saturday night against the Houston Dynamo in a 6-2 shellacking. — Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
Not many losses will be as loud as the 139-96 shellacking the Thunder (61-16) handed the Lakers (50-27) at Paycom Center – the type of loss that takes some of the steam out of the Lakers’ 15-2 March surge. — Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026 Yin was 3-for-3 and had four RBIs in Monta Vista 32-0 shellacking over Jefferson. — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shellacking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shellacking
  1. defeat
  2. whipping
  3. loss
  4. bombing
  5. beating
  6. drubbing
  7. setback
  8. overcoming
Noun
  • Abiy's office accused the TPLF of obstructing the agreement and said that the latest fighting ended in its defeat.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Abiy’s office accused the TPLF of obstructing the agreement and said the latest fighting ended in its defeat.
    — Khaled Kazziha, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of defeat
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 whipping
Noun
  • If the answer is yes, the efficiency gain may be a competitive loss in disguise.
    — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The British Antarctic Survey researchers emphasize that future losses could be exacerbated if emissions are not reduced.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of loss
Verb
  • Russia has been bombing Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, forcing Ukraine to rely increasingly on river ports on the Danube and shipping routes close to the coasts of NATO members Bulgaria and Romania.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The United States began bombing Iran on February 28 with the goal of destroying the country’s nuclear program, its missile program, and even its government, only to fail spectacularly at each objective.
    — Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of bombing
Noun
  • The arrests were related to the beating of a Washington Post photographer and an alleged assault on European diplomats, Israeli authorities said.
    — Suheir Hashimeh, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The prosecutor argued the beatings basically never stopped, claiming footage showed nannies beating one child, then turning their violence toward any of the other toddlers who wept while watching.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of beating
Verb
  • The mighty Mariners, who mashed five solo home runs at raucous T-Mobile Park, clinched their title by drubbing Major League Baseball’s doormat, aka the Colorado Rockies, 9-2.
    — Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
Definition of drubbing
Noun
  • Even after the setback, young households remained wealthier than their counterparts were before the pandemic.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Embracing uncertainty does not mean ignoring danger, suppressing disappointment or insisting that every setback is positive.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of setback
Verb
  • Others discussed overcoming the initial awkwardness of the work and finding satisfaction in helping doctors become more competent and compassionate.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • These productions focused on accessibility, particularly for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, rather than overcoming language barriers.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of overcoming

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Cite this Entry

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

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