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:
Rather than shelve the movie, Scott — ever the problem solver — replaced him with Christopher Plummer and reshot 22 scenes just weeks before it was due in theaters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Walsh told the jury it was human nature to "box" or "shelve" feelings away – and that was what Complainant A and B had done over the years.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
Trump's visit will merit attention if he and Xi manage to "shelve the most sensitive issues" while establishing "rule-based tracks" on points of cooperation, Chen said.
From Barron's ● May 13, 2026
He is also unsentimental when it comes to upending the status quo in bookselling, including his conviction that Barnes & Noble needs to shelve fewer total books but more individual titles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026
He had Conway shelve War Admiral for the season.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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
A woman forced to give up her home for a dual-carriageway expansion now set to be shelved has described the project as a "criminal waste of taxpayers' money".
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Plans to escalate the campaign have been shelved in part because of those shrinking supplies, The New York Times reported, citing two people briefed on the matter.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Most of Uminer’s books were shelved and weren’t impeding entrances and exits.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
The pantry is shelved floor to ceiling with pickles and soup jars, molasses, put-up vegetables, and preserves.
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
Two fireplaces and built-in shelving throughout the home evoke immediate feelings of coziness, and there are three living room spaces to enjoy.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
Other transgressions there included urine contamination from rodents on food packaging and shelving, inadequate cleaning standards and structural defects allowing pest entry.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 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
It was filled with tidy rows of floor-to-ceiling shelving units.
From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
