shelve

verb

shelved; shelving
Synonyms of shelvenext

transitive verb

1
: to furnish with shelves
2
: to place on a shelf
shelve books
3
a
: to remove from active service
b
: to put off or aside
shelve a project

intransitive verb

: to slope in a formation like a shelf
shelver noun

Examples of shelve in a Sentence

The books were shelved according to category. let's shelve the project for now
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.
After all, confidence and decisiveness are hallmark traits of executive presence, a quality long sought by boards, taught at top business schools, and used at performance review time as a catch-all descriptor to either promote or shelve C-suite hopefuls. Harvard Business Review, 1 Apr. 2026 All three bills were shelved or shot down, but Senate leadership brought the 287(g) and arrest data measures back last week, in the waning days of the 2026 legislative session. Idaho Statesman, 31 Mar. 2026 Instead, Flagg and Davis played 20 games together and Irving was shelved for the season once Dallas’ playoff hopes plummeted. Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026 Two things persuaded Haagy to shelve his own plant research and zero in on the mystery of sky-darkening smog. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shelve

Word History

Etymology

shelf

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shelve was in 1598

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shelve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shelve. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

shelve

verb
shelved; shelving
1
: to place on a shelf
shelve books
2
: to put off or aside : defer
shelve a project
shelver noun

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