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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.

I ordered a stir fry of crab and broken rice with greens and yam that came topped with a fried soft-shell crab drizzled with shito, a Ghanaian chili sauce.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 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

In the 1970s, soft-shell clams started mysteriously dying off in Maine and the Chesapeake Bay.

From New York Times • Oct. 2, 2023

Over that, a fleece or soft-shell jacket mid-layer will retain heat, while still allowing you to move.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 7, 2022

Grandfather used to bring me to Barrett’s to buy soft-shell almonds and figs from the big barrel.

From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson

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.