shelter in place
1 of 2phrase
: to remain inside in one's current location until a danger has passed : to temporarily take shelter in a protected space
The … campus was placed under lockdown in response to the shooting. People on campus were advised to shelter in place. No students were hurt or endangered, the school said.—
Julia Jacobo
Julia JacoboThese communities—including our own—need to start hardening themselves against future fires. That means preparing homes for fires the way we already do for earthquakes and floods. It also means developing better alert systems, heeding evacuation warnings when they come and being prepared to shelter in place when escape routes are cut off …—The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California)
The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California)
variants
or less commonly shelter in place
: instructing or requiring people to remain in their current location until a danger has passed
The governor has issued a shelter-in-place order.
: of or relating to sheltering in place
shelter-in-place drills
see also shelter in place at shelter entry 2
Examples of shelter in place in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 22 May 2026
Austin police arrested two juveniles Sunday who investigators believe were connected to 12 shooting incidents across the city that injured four people, struck two fire stations and triggered a shelter-in-place order in South Austin.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
The city issued a shelter-in-place order on Sunday while the search was on for the suspects.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 18 May 2026
Along with the shelter-in-place order, the incident also prompted lockdowns at nearby schools, including Wyoming City Schools and at Lincoln Heights Elementary School.
—Aaron Valdez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shelter in place
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Adjective
The incident triggered a precautionary shelter-in-place, with residents in the area being told to stay inside with their windows closed while authorities monitored the air around the wreck to ensure there were no flammable leaks.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 22 May 2026
Austin police arrested two juveniles Sunday who investigators believe were connected to 12 shooting incidents across the city that injured four people, struck two fire stations and triggered a shelter-in-place order in South Austin.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
The city issued a shelter-in-place order on Sunday while the search was on for the suspects.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 18 May 2026
Along with the shelter-in-place order, the incident also prompted lockdowns at nearby schools, including Wyoming City Schools and at Lincoln Heights Elementary School.
—Aaron Valdez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shelter in place
Cite this Entry
“Shelter in place.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shelter%20in%20place. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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