as in paid
to hand over or use up in payment
we shelled out an obscene amount of money for those concert tickets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 shelled out
Around the same time Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco announced their engagement in December 2024, the couple quietly shelled out $35 million for a sprawling Spanish-style estate in a prime pocket of Beverly Hills that was once owned by Joker and The Hangover director Todd Phillips.
—
Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 5 May 2026
Mark Davis paid $2 million for Vegas, while the group led by Larry Gottesdiener shelled out $5 million.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 1 May 2026
In recent months, OpenAI and hyperscaler peers have shelled out billions to fund datacenters to meet ballooning compute demand.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Control of the action series was a major reason why the company shelled out more than $8 billion to buy MGM Studios in 2022.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Jenner said that Hutchins planned to repay her prior to her untimely death and had already shelled out $75,000 toward her legal fees.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Payton said multiple times around the season’s end that Denver had too many drops in the passing game, but the Broncos haven’t shelled out in an inflated receiver market to fix that.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026
Even though Diane Bricker doesn’t live in her Ocean City, New Jersey, condo during the winter, the retiree shelled out $698 last month for electricity to keep the heat at 55 degrees and to power the refrigerator.
—Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 12 Feb. 2026
The Pentagon has shelled out nearly $5 billion over the past year to spur mining.
—Didi Tang, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 5 May 2026
Mark Davis paid $2 million for Vegas, while the group led by Larry Gottesdiener shelled out $5 million.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 1 May 2026
In recent months, OpenAI and hyperscaler peers have shelled out billions to fund datacenters to meet ballooning compute demand.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Control of the action series was a major reason why the company shelled out more than $8 billion to buy MGM Studios in 2022.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Jenner said that Hutchins planned to repay her prior to her untimely death and had already shelled out $75,000 toward her legal fees.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Payton said multiple times around the season’s end that Denver had too many drops in the passing game, but the Broncos haven’t shelled out in an inflated receiver market to fix that.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026
Even though Diane Bricker doesn’t live in her Ocean City, New Jersey, condo during the winter, the retiree shelled out $698 last month for electricity to keep the heat at 55 degrees and to power the refrigerator.
—Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 12 Feb. 2026
The Pentagon has shelled out nearly $5 billion over the past year to spur mining.
—Didi Tang, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shelled out
Verb
-
Eggs, sushi, and crypto The account paid attention to smaller stories, too.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
-
Those of us who paid attention in high school social studies know that only Congress can declare war.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Duryea began his coaching career in 1988 as an assistant at Colorado State and spent the final eight years of his career at Boise State with head coach Leon Rice.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
15 May 2026
-
Senior colorist László Kovács said his team spent more than six months readying the film for Cannes, utilizing the expertise of what’s billed as the most complete and most experienced film laboratory in Central Europe.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shelled out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shelled%20out. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
