shellac
noun
lac that has been purified and formed into thin sheets, used for making varnish shellac varnish by dissolving it in alcohol or a similar solvent.
shellacked
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past participleof shellac.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof shellac.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
shellacnounlac that has been purified and formed into thin sheets, used for making varnish shellac varnish by dissolving it in alcohol or a similar solvent.
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.
Retail outposts, brick-and-mortar food joints, and text-based media have not been thriving sectors for a while now, but they’ve been especially shellacked in the weird post-pandemic economy.
From Slate ● Apr. 16, 2026
Her best friend, Max, who was unofficially adopted by Suzanna’s parents and is shellacked in cynicism as played by the excellent Alden Ehrenreich, exhorts her to pull herself together and face her “big girl problems.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026
Three months ago, the Scots were shellacked 3-0 at home by Greece, halting any sort of momentum built from three wins on the spin.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2025
Nobody who didn’t know he got shellacked would have done that.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2024
But he might as well have been circling Pinkus’s house again — the scenery seemed protected from him, shellacked.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
