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Synonyms

soft-shell

American  
[sawft-shel, soft-] / ˈsɔftˌʃɛl, ˈsɒft- /

adjective

  1. Also soft-shelled having a soft, flexible, or fragile shell, as a crab that has recently molted.

noun

  1. a soft-shell animal, especially a soft-shell crab.

Etymology

Origin of soft-shell

First recorded in 1795–1805

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.

A recent Thursday gathering persuaded Girouard to abandon the launch of a windproof soft-shell jacket.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

A couple models are sufficiently protective that the wearers don’t have to practice with Guardian Caps, the soft-shell covers that fit over standard helmets to provide additional cushion and protection.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2024

Instead of trying to pick a steamed or boiled green crab, they're better eaten in soft-shell form or used to make flavorful stocks, sauces and butters.

From Salon • Jul. 20, 2023

The lab’s recent unpublished research suggests the cancer found in soft-shell clams on the East Coast is 200 years old.

From Seattle Times • May 22, 2023

“It’s soft-shell crab,” Grandma said, inching forward as the line did.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

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.