variants
also shillalah
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
the bartender in the Irish pub keeps a shillelagh behind the bar just in case there's trouble
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shillelagh
The original shillelagh was retired with a new one introduced in 1997.
—
Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
There are fleas and chamber pots and thumbed noses and a St. Patrick’s Day picnic that — hold on to your shillelagh!
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Or this:Youu can't pack a shillelagh in your carry-on: TSA finds cudgel at Idaho airport Meg Foster, a justice fellow at Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology, said there are concerns about bias within the algorithms of various facial recognition technologies.
—Rebecca Santana and Rick Gentilo, USA TODAY, 15 May 2023
Air travelers, take note: Be sure to keep your guns and your knives and shillelaghs – and your cats for that matter – out of your carry-ons.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 19 Apr. 2023
In contemporary times, some people study bataireacht, a type of Irish martial art, using the shillelagh.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2023
Owusu Koramoah loved it when former Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly hoisted the jeweled shillelagh in the locker room when the Irish would beat USC.
—Jimmy Watkins, cleveland, 9 Dec. 2022
The shillelagh, a tall walking stick, was also a protection against large animals.
—Brenda Yenke, cleveland, 24 Mar. 2022
Alabama played a competitive first half of its NCAA tournament opener Friday against Notre Dame, but then took a whack from the Fighting Irish’s shillelagh in the second half to end its season with a 78-64 loss.
—Mike Rodak | Mrodak@al.com, al, 18 Mar. 2022
Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
There are fleas and chamber pots and thumbed noses and a St. Patrick’s Day picnic that — hold on to your shillelagh!
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Or this:Youu can't pack a shillelagh in your carry-on: TSA finds cudgel at Idaho airport Meg Foster, a justice fellow at Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology, said there are concerns about bias within the algorithms of various facial recognition technologies.
—Rebecca Santana and Rick Gentilo, USA TODAY, 15 May 2023
Air travelers, take note: Be sure to keep your guns and your knives and shillelaghs – and your cats for that matter – out of your carry-ons.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 19 Apr. 2023
In contemporary times, some people study bataireacht, a type of Irish martial art, using the shillelagh.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2023
Owusu Koramoah loved it when former Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly hoisted the jeweled shillelagh in the locker room when the Irish would beat USC.
—Jimmy Watkins, cleveland, 9 Dec. 2022
The shillelagh, a tall walking stick, was also a protection against large animals.
—Brenda Yenke, cleveland, 24 Mar. 2022
Alabama played a competitive first half of its NCAA tournament opener Friday against Notre Dame, but then took a whack from the Fighting Irish’s shillelagh in the second half to end its season with a 78-64 loss.
—Mike Rodak | Mrodak@al.com, al, 18 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shillelagh
Noun
-
An older man walking with a cane was also caught up in the scuffle and fell on his back.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Walking with a cane and recovering from a recent illness, Mr. Lev could not resist doing a little jig as stepped upon it to the cheers of friends and family.—
Dina Kraft,
Christian Science Monitor,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The baton came back to him once Paramount Plus gave a green light to The Challenge: All Stars, and OGs like himself were given a second shot at glory.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
16 Apr. 2025
-
The baton passes, rather frenetically, to other standout friends, too.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
From fighter planes to nuclear reactor rods and smartphones, rare earth minerals are vital to a wide array of products.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2025
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Since the program started in 2015, more than 500,000 rods and reels have been donated.—
Haniya Rae,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
School staff had restrained or secluded her daughter 29 times for a total of more than 23 hours in just the few months since the school year began.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Advertisement Advertisement Shinji recalls being particularly affected by The Bullet Train’s depiction of Japanese National Railway staff members.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shillelagh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shillelagh. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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