SHELLED OUT Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

shelled out

verb

past tense of shell out

as in paid

to hand over or use up in payment we shelled out an obscene amount of money for those concert tickets

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of shelled out The Salmonella Enteritidis Has Been Linked To Eggs The FDA has shelled out as well more info about the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak infections that was first listed on the FDA website on June 10. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Both Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United have shelled out over £100million on new players but each, and particularly the latter, have recouped plenty too. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2026 OpenAI shelled out some serious cash to host about 30 internet personalities at a luxury resort called Wildflower Farms in upstate New York over the weekend. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026 Fox paid $485 million for the rights to the 2026 World Cup, while Telemundo shelled out $600 million for the Spanish-language telecasts. — Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026 Now, with less than a month to go before the August 4th primary, AIPAC has already shelled out nearly five times that amount in pro-Stevens and anti-El-Sayed ads. — Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 10 July 2026 According to Mamdani, Swift shelled out six-figures to make that happen. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 10 July 2026 Even at the height of the Miami’s summer slowdown, one buyer just shelled out more than $27 million for a home in the neighborhood at 790 Lake Rd. — Catherine Odom july 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026 While many gathered on the National Mall to watch a show Trump promised would break a world record, others shelled out big bucks for rooftop viewing. — Liam Scott, Washington Post, 5 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shelled out

Verb

For Medicare patients, doctors are paid an additional 6% of the drug’s average price for each infusion.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
The valuation of Fernandez is entirely justifiable within the context of the huge fees paid by several Premier League clubs, and specifically City, for high-level central midfielders this summer.

— Liam Twomey, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of paid

Verb

The professional explorers spent a year living inside the Boundary Waters, using their platform to speak loudly for its protection.

— Erin Hassanzadeh, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Chief among them was the United Kingdom, which soon began to attract a number of big-budget movies thanks to a hugely popular 25% cash rebate on production expenses, including money spent on actors’ salaries and other above-the-line costs.

— Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of spent

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shelled

shelled out

shell game

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“Shelled out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shelled%20out. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of shelled out

verb

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