as in spends
to hand over or use up in payment
we shelled out an obscene amount of money for those concert tickets
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Recent Examples of shells out
As guests don waders and walk into the shallow bay to the floating baskets where Navy Cove cultivates its bivalves, co-owner Eric Bradley shells out oyster-farming facts.
—
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
For hundreds less than competing flip phones, Motorola shells out a heavy dose of bendable fun.
—
Kimberly Gedeon,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2026
Google already shells out billions to Apple each year to be the default search engine on iPhones.
—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
For hundreds less than competing flip phones, Motorola shells out a heavy dose of bendable fun.
—
Kimberly Gedeon,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2026
Google already shells out billions to Apple each year to be the default search engine on iPhones.
—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shells out
Verb
-
The amount a farmer spends on fertilizer is a small fraction of the total cost to grow food and get it to grocery store shelves.
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Pz’ spends much of his proper debut, No Turning Back, equally baffled by his good fortune and ready to fasten it to his side with a Gucci strap before anyone else can take it.
Verb
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Currently, a person who earns $184,500 per year pays the same amount in annual Social Security taxes as a person who earns $5 million per year.
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The Goalkeeper’s Hands The keeper is the only player allowed to use their hands, and pays for it up top.
Verb
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Refine a portfolio piece, build a small prototype, or share a draft with someone who gives honest notes.
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The softened felt gives under his fingers, then holds, each adjustment staying a little longer than the last.
Cite this Entry
“Shells out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shells%20out. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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