sheltered

American  

[shel-terd] / ˈʃɛl tərd /

adjective

1. protected or shielded from storms, missiles, etc., by a wall, roof, barrier, or the like.

2. protected from the troubles, annoyances, sordidness, etc., encountered in competitive situations.

   a sheltered life.

3. (of a business or industry) enjoying noncompetitive conditions, as because of a protective tariff.

4. of or relating to employment or housing, especially for persons with disabilities, in a noncompetitive, supervised environment.

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sheltered British  

/ ˈʃɛltəd /

adjective

1. protected from wind or weather

   a sheltered garden

2. protected from outside influences

   a sheltered upbringing

3. (of buildings) specially designed to provide a safe environment for the elderly, handicapped, or disabled See also sheltered housing

   sheltered workshops for the blind

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Other Word Forms

• self-sheltered adjective
• unsheltered adjective
• well-sheltered adjective

Etymology

Origin of sheltered

First recorded in 1585–95; shelter + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Elizabeth Uribe, who is friends with Gladdys, checked in on her parents throughout the day as they sheltered inside a hotel in Rincón de Guayabitos, a beach town not far from Puerto Vallarta.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

My mother’s cluster were moralists: conservative, sheltered children of university-educated parents who believed in God, marriage and study.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

They have proposed cuts to services including reduced school cleaning and grounds maintenance, stopping road line painting on residential streets and ceasing sheltered housing support contributions.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

Among the items destined for the scrap heap is the gantry, which once sheltered Soyuz rockets from the tropical weather.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

I have to decide in a split second whether or not to let Warren know how sheltered I am.

From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi

Related Words

• protected
• shady