shelve
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
to place (something) on a shelf or shelves.
-
to put off or aside from consideration.
to shelve the question.
- Synonyms:
- pigeonhole, table, defer
-
to remove from active use or service; dismiss.
-
to furnish with shelves.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to place on a shelf
-
to provide with shelves
-
to put aside or postpone from consideration
-
to dismiss or cause to retire
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of shelve1
First recorded in 1585–95; verb use of shelve(s)
Origin of shelve2
1580–90; origin uncertain; compare Frisian skelf not quite level
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:
Perhaps he could shelve his plans for a 64-team World Cup?
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Manifold had replaced Helge Lund, who departed after a major reset at the British energy giant that saw it shelve carbon-reduction targets to focus on fossil fuel output.
From Barron's ● May 26, 2026
Two things persuaded Haagy to shelve his own plant research and zero in on the mystery of sky-darkening smog.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
Former contestants of a now-axed BBC LGBTQ+ dating show say they feel "frustrated" and "sad" at the decision to shelve the programme.
From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026
She envisioned Mr. Griswold walking out from the back with a box of books to shelve, greeting customers as the chimes signaled their entrance.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
They also celebrated recently when Southern California Gas Co. shelved long-held plans for a hydrogen pipeline system after an unfavorable ruling from the state’s utility regulator.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Most of Uminer’s books were shelved and weren’t impeding entrances and exits.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
All talks on his future were shelved until the end of the World Cup, so a decision on the 36-year-old's next move will be made soon.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
During the protests, the mullahs shelved their traditional playbook of targeted violence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
These they packed in boxes, preserving the order in which she had shelved them.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
In the 12th-floor model unit, the steel framework has even been turned into closet shelving.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Teeming documents charting the rich subsoil of what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo fill nearly 500 metres of shelving at the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren, outside the Belgian capital.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
A shell-adorned mirror anchors the wall facing the windows and built-in shelving, making the room feel larger.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
On April 6, CMS punted, shelving the risk-score recalibration.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
As for the loss of membership and influence, it was a result of a new program which had called for the shelving of our old techniques of agitation.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
