shelter
Americannoun
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shelters
plural
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something beneath, behind, or within which a person, animal, or thing is protected from storms, missiles, adverse conditions, etc.; refuge.
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the protection or refuge afforded by such a thing.
He took shelter in a nearby barn.
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protection from blame, incrimination, etc.
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a dwelling place or home considered as a refuge from the elements.
Everyone's basic needs are food, clothing, and shelter.
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a building serving as a temporary refuge or residence for abandoned animals, people who are homeless, etc.: animal shelter.
homeless shelter;
animal shelter.
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Finance. tax shelter.
verb (used with object)
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shelters,
present (3rd person singular)
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sheltered,
past participle, past
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sheltering
present participle
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to be a shelter for; afford shelter to.
The old barn sheltered him from the rain.
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to provide with a shelter; place under cover.
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to protect, as by shelter; take under one's protection.
Parents should not try to shelter their children from normal childhood disappointments.
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Finance. to invest (money) in a tax shelter.
verb (used without object)
-
shelters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sheltered,
past participle, past
-
sheltering
present participle
-
to take shelter; find a refuge.
Students sheltered in the gymnasium when they heard the tornado sirens.
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Finance. to invest money in a tax shelter.
noun
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something that provides cover or protection, as from weather or danger; place of refuge
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the protection afforded by such a cover; refuge
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the state of being sheltered
verb
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(tr) to provide with or protect by a shelter
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(intr) to take cover, as from rain; find refuge
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(tr) to act as a shelter for; take under one's protection
Synonym Usage
See cover.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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self-shelternoun
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shelterernoun
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shelterlessnessnoun
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shelterlessadjective
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unshelteringadjective
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shelteringlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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sheltersimple
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shelterssimple
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have shelteredperfect
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has shelteredperfect
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am shelteringprogressive
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are shelteringprogressive
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is shelteringprogressive
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have been shelteringperfect progressive
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has been shelteringperfect progressive
Past
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shelteredsimple
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had shelteredperfect
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was shelteringprogressive
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were shelteringprogressive
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had been shelteringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of shelter
First recorded in 1575–85; of uncertain origin; perhaps alteration of obsolete sheltron “testudo” (a protective vault formed of Roman legionaries' shields), Old English scieldtruma, equivalent to scield + truma “body of men in battle formation”; see origin at shield ( def. ), trim
Explanation
Shelter is one of the basic human needs along with food, water, and companionship. It is a structure that protects you from the elements and gives you a place to live. If you get lost in the woods during a rain storm, the first thing you should do is seek shelter, or a protected place to stay. A shelter is also a place to go for help, e.g. a homeless shelter is for those with nowhere to sleep, a bomb shelter protects people in a war zone and an animal shelter houses dogs and cats without a home. You've probably heard people talking about tax shelters, which are investments that protect your money from being taxed by the government.
Vocabulary lists containing shelter
There's No Word Like Home
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Beowulf vocabulary
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The Syrian Refugee Crisis Continues
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Residents used pots and pans to clear water from their flooded tents, with some saying they were left without shelter.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
Witnesses told AFP they saw people seeking shelter in shops and restaurants in the usually bustling streets around the Main Square.
From Barron's ● Nov. 7, 2026
It was clear that he needed a reliable shelter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Ukrainian soldiers had used a hammer and chisel to break through the concrete in the middle and dug out a small shelter just big enough for two people in the earth beneath.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
He needed more than just a shelter for the night, he needed a doctor.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
Rio Tinto has previously faced criticism for destroying two sacred Aboriginal rock shelters in Pilbara which sat above tonnes of iron ore.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
Peterborough City Council said 34 bus stops could include Living Roofs, mini-gardens planted on top of bus shelters that are made up of wildflowers and other vegetation.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
As comfortable as their shelters were, after two hours underground, the all-clear signal was met with a wave of enthusiasm.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
For more than four decades, the 1736 Family Crisis Center has offered care for victims of domestic violence, running shelters and crisis hotlines in L.A. and Orange counties on what today is a $15-million budget.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Some families hurried to remodel their cellars into bomb shelters.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
Folk musicians performed as pilgrims sheltered from the spring sun under umbrellas.
From Barron's ● Nov. 9, 2026
Under Ms. Bass’s signature program, the city has spent $82,420 a year for each homeless person it has sheltered in motels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
It moves the familiar story about a bullied, sheltered teenage girl to the present.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026
It followed armed police swooping on a nearby sheltered housing retirement complex, Ger-y-Nant, where the man was arrested.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
While a frustrated nation sought vengeance, Jones had sheltered and nourished the most hated man in America.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
Videos from the Arizona capital show people sheltering inside a car as hail smashes the windscreen, while intense downpours covered neighbourhoods in ice.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Foreign students at several international schools were shaken after spending part of the afternoon sheltering in place in windowless rooms, said a mother who spoke to parents at several of the schools.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Diplomats stationed in the Saudi capital were sheltering in place and international schools took safety measures on Thursday, diplomats and residents told AFP, after explosions echoed across the city.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
It also found that moving and sheltering the most vulnerable — children in foster care, incarcerated youth and adults, people with disabilities — “lacked a countywide coordination model.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Rowan hugged himself and shuddered, sheltering behind the tall figure of Marlie from those terrible red eyes.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
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