shelves

[shelvz] / ʃɛlvz /

NOUN

jutting, flat area or piece

Synonyms

STRONGEST

counter cupboard ledge rack

STRONG

bank bracket console mantelpiece mantle reef ridge rock shallow shoal

VERB

defer, postpone

Synonyms

STRONGEST

freeze give up mothball prolong put off suspend waive

STRONG

delay dismiss drop hold pigeonhole prorogue scrub sideline stay table

WEAK

hang up hold off hold over hold up lay aside put aside put on back burner put on hold put on ice slow up tie up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

continue go

STRONG

advance

WEAK

carry out do go ahead

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.

During holidays when stores get busier and shelves need to be replenished more frequently, the autonomous trucks can be deployed in place of drivers who may not be readily available, Farrell said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Inside the sparse, upscale abode, cardboard moving boxes are still scattered across the entryway, and his shelves lack ingredients.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

Sanseido, a 145-year-old bookstore in Tokyo's book district Jimbocho, began putting zines on their shelves almost a year ago.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Lower sea levels reduced pressure on the bedrock beneath Antarctic ice shelves, allowing the land underneath to slowly rise upward.

From Science Daily • May 29, 2026

It’s not a real cellar—no shelves for preserves or rations for nuclear fallout—just a temporary safety pod.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith