shed 1 of 2

verb

ˈshed How to pronounce shed (audio)
Definition of shednext
1
as in to peel
to cast (a natural bodily covering or appendage) aside a snake's skin doesn't grow as the snake does, so every so often the snake will shed its old skin

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to unload
to get rid of as useless or unwanted you need to shed your old notions of propriety and have some fun for a change

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shed

2 of 2

noun

as in hut

Related Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word shed different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of shed are cast, discard, junk, scrap, and slough. While all these words mean "to get rid of," shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster.

shed a bad habit
finally sloughed off the depression

When would cast be a good substitute for shed?

Although the words cast and shed have much in common, cast, especially when used with off, away, or out, implies a forceful rejection or repudiation.

cast off her friends

When is it sensible to use discard instead of shed?

While the synonyms discard and shed are close in meaning, discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless.

discard old clothes

How do scrap and junk relate to one another, in the sense of shed?

Both scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form.

scrap all the old ways
would junk our educational system

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 shed
Verb
Saldaña noted that season three also sheds light on the morally gray decisions each character must make. — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 30 July 2026 The health insurer shed nearly 4% following its second-quarter earnings report. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 30 July 2026
Noun
The Ghastly Grotto started its life as a simple CostCo shed, but Mitchell has since turned it into a full-scale tiki bar, with niches and grottos packed with art, figurines and other bric-a-brac, all with a ghoulish bent. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026 The shed also had a pull-down table that was great for my early-morning or late-night writing sessions with a steaming mug of tea by my side. — Dana Kravis, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for shed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shed
  1. ditch
  2. unload
  3. hut
  4. discard
  5. dump
  6. shack
  7. slough
  8. lose
Verb
  • This buttery-soft basic is worth ditching your frumpy tees for.
    — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The pressure is rising on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ditch a World Cup privatization plan that could draw investments up to $20 billion, but which has drawn widespread condemnation from most of soccer's worldwide governing bodies.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of ditch
Verb
  • The leaders helped unload the stock while promoting a public narrative of growth, the outlet reported.
    — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
  • Continue reading … DIGITAL'S NEWS QUIZ — Who unloaded on Sophie Cunningham fans?
    — , FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of unload
Noun
  • Domaine du Ferret’s collection of lodges is a stylish take on the bay’s fishermen’s huts.
    — Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2026
  • Picture a group of men sitting around a table in an old hut on a grey island in the sea.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of hut
Verb
  • Russia’s answer to the Artemis program is to develop its own Russian Orbital Station, using modules from the International Space Station after it has been discarded, which would act as a gateway for lunar exploration.
    — Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2026
  • The Secret Service’s actual procedures turn out to be more like guidelines that can be discarded if the president is sufficiently angry—which, from the standpoint of safeguarding democracy, constitutes a fairly concerning loophole.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of discard
Verb
  • Brie dumped Jacy Jayne to the outside and mocked Nikki Bella’s dance.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Overwhelmed fans reported blacking out at the Eras Tour, all memories of the night dumped.
    — Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of dump
Noun
  • When the elder Romero stayed late to close down the football field, Desi would often stay with him and the pair would piece together a dinner from whatever was left over in the snack shack.
    — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
  • This unpretentious seafood shack serves oysters, shrimp, lobster, clams, and crab cakes, all locally caught.
    — Lila Harron Battis, Travel + Leisure, 23 July 2026
Definition of shack
Verb
  • The leader of his country’s Socialist Party, Rama came to power in 2013, as Albania was still sloughing off its insular identity.
    — Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026
  • Though more popular for your skin, when applied to your scalp and strands, the ingredient sloughs off buildup, soothes irritation, reduces dandruff, and controls oil production.
    — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 5 July 2026
Definition of slough
Verb
  • As team president Mark Donovan put it on Wednesday while speaking at the opening of training camp at Missouri Western, the focus forward began almost instantly after the Chiefs lost their season finale to the Raiders in Las Vegas.
    — Vahe Gregorian July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • Lipow estimates the world has lost about 6 million to 7 million barrels of refining capacity per day, making existing refineries even more profitable.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of lose

Browse Nearby Words

sheaves
shed
shedding
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shed. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shed

Nglish: Translation of shed for Spanish Speakers

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