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.
Fans are working through stages of grief now that support for Destiny 2 is ending, and the franchise is likely being shelved for years, at best. Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026 GitHub leaders have, on multiple occasions, considered moving heavily to Azure, which has data centers across continents, but those plans were shelved, said one of the sources. Jordan Novet, CNBC, 22 May 2026 Achane nursing an undisclosed injury and ideally being shelved until the regular season, the Dolphins must find four tailbacks who can handle the workload for training camp and the preseason. Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026 That was the end of 2007, when my fourth album, Liberation, was accidentally released and shelved. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 May 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 29 May. 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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