1
as in peeling
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
Relevance
2
as in dumping
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
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 shedding
After months of beautiful, thick tresses thanks to those pregnancy hormones, shedding and changes in hair texture are inevitable as our estrogen levels drop and our body deals with the grueling fourth trimester.
—
Claire West, Parents, 14 Feb. 2026
The piano tuner had sent a basket of mums, which were losing petals, shedding everywhere.
—Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
At Olive & Finch, that looks like adding smaller, protein-dense plates to the menu and shedding some of those empty calories.
—Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Fans can now access content shedding light on everything from the kind of steak that fuels Erling Haaland, the Manchester City footballer, to the plastic surgery procedures undergone by Simone Biles — all filmed and sanctioned by the athletes themselves.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The spacious suite had a sliver of a view down to Cayuga Lake, along with plentiful seating areas, a fabulous marble bathroom (again with double sinks and, this time, a huge soaking tub), and a cozy entryway that was ideal for shedding layers after coming back in from the cold.
—Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
Names such as ServiceNow and Salesforce led the losses in the software industry, shedding 6% and 5%, respectively.
—Sean Conlon,liz Napolitano, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
That said, there are some other treatments that can help to minimize hair shedding.
—Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Claire West, Parents, 14 Feb. 2026
The piano tuner had sent a basket of mums, which were losing petals, shedding everywhere.
—Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
At Olive & Finch, that looks like adding smaller, protein-dense plates to the menu and shedding some of those empty calories.
—Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Fans can now access content shedding light on everything from the kind of steak that fuels Erling Haaland, the Manchester City footballer, to the plastic surgery procedures undergone by Simone Biles — all filmed and sanctioned by the athletes themselves.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The spacious suite had a sliver of a view down to Cayuga Lake, along with plentiful seating areas, a fabulous marble bathroom (again with double sinks and, this time, a huge soaking tub), and a cozy entryway that was ideal for shedding layers after coming back in from the cold.
—Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
Names such as ServiceNow and Salesforce led the losses in the software industry, shedding 6% and 5%, respectively.
—Sean Conlon,liz Napolitano, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
That said, there are some other treatments that can help to minimize hair shedding.
—Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shedding
Verb
-
The scene takes place on the afternoon of October 1, 1978, at the Orpheum Theatre, then a rundown building with broken seats and peeling paint, lacking heat and constantly in danger of demolition.—
Stephen M. Deusner,
Pitchfork,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Paint may not adhere well without extensive sanding and priming, which can lead to bubbling and peeling, explains designer Danielle Chiprut.—
Asia London Palomba,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The California Highway Patrol said the driver was dumping dirt into a nearby construction zone and left the trailer up before crashing.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Central banks and global investors are dumping dollars and buying gold.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Drain, discarding the soaking liquid.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Add pork, discarding the excess sauce.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
No loading and unloading the car, no long morning commutes—just grab your gear and go.—
Abby Price,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2026
-
You're not locked into unloading a full ounce at once, which can be appealing for people who view silver as a form of emergency liquidity.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
So, on Thursday night’s show Kimmel doubled-down once again, sloughing off the latest attack from the leader of the free world on his late night comedy show.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
21 Nov. 2025
-
Skincare, after all, begins precisely with one’s choice of cleanser, setting the stage for clean, glowing skin by morning and sloughing away the day’s impurities by night.—
Beatrice Zocchi,
Vogue,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Matthew and Camila McConaughey are ditching traditional Valentine's Day dinner for a pantsless horseback ride.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
-
One of Londons most influential figures, Lady Danbury seems determined to focus on herself this year, even considering ditching the rigid expectations of society.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Here, Jaffe softens the borders between his dual interests in electronic music and jazz, crafting compositions that are constantly molting and emerging anew.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
20 Dec. 2025
-
Extreme drought is causing breeding grounds, molting spots and migration stopover sites to vanish.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Sewald came to the Diamondbacks from the Seattle Mariners in a trade deadline deal in 2023 and helped the D-backs make a surprise run to the Fall Classic before losing to the Texas Rangers in five games.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Businesses are losing foot traffic, changing their hours or closing entirely.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shedding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shedding. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
