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Synonyms

shelving

American  
[shel-ving] / ˈʃɛl vɪŋ /

noun

  1. material for shelves.

  2. shelves collectively.

shelving British  
/ ˈʃɛlvɪŋ /

noun

  1. material for making shelves

  2. a set of shelves; shelves collectively

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of shelving

First recorded in 1625–35; shelve 1 + -ing 1

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.

Irenic proposed staff cuts, shelving projects, and leveraging AI; Snap’s board welcomes input, focusing on efficiency.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Washington and Tehran have a history of making negotiations happen in the face of seemingly incompatible demands by quietly shelving some of the most contentious points.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Wortsman, who fixed a broken shelving unit for her son's bedroom with her friend's help, said for her it was "more than DIY".

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

With a roomy 18 cubic feet, it holds far more than you’d expect and stays easy to organize thanks to generous shelving and a bright LED light.

From Salon • Nov. 20, 2025

The beach in the cove was white shingle, like the one behind me, but steeper, shelving suddenly to the sea.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

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.