Synonyms of shells

shells 1 of 2

noun

plural of shell

1

as in sheaths

something that encloses another thing especially to protect it

eating oysters straight out of their shells

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sheaths
• casings
• coverings
• hulls
• housings
• pods
• husks
• cases
• jackets
• covers
• cocoons
• capsules
• cartridges
• shields
• coatings
• plates
• packages
• wrappers
• armors
• encasements
• crusts
• platings
• houses
• cassettes
• skins
• carapaces
• barks
• envelopes
• mails
• facings
• hides
• backings
• cuticles
• panoplies
• covertures

2

as in structures

the arrangement of parts that gives something its basic form

workers at the shipyard have thus far erected the shell of the ship

Synonyms & Similar Words

• structures
• frameworks
• architectures
• skeletons
• fabrics
• infrastructures
• frames
• cadres
• shapes
• armatures
• configurations
• edifices
• figures
• cages
• framings
• contours
• lattices
• networks
• silhouettes
• chassis
• outlines
• profiles

3

as in exteriors

an outer part or layer

the shell of the building is all glass, making it conspicuous on a street with mostly limestone facades

Synonyms & Similar Words

• exteriors
• surfaces
• skins
• fronts
• facades
• tops
• faces
• veneers
• outsides
• facings
• coverings
• masks
• appearances
• covers
• disguises
• shows
• guises
• semblances

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• interiors
• insides

shells

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shell

1

as in peels

to remove the natural covering of

shelling peanuts

Synonyms & Similar Words

• peels
• hulls
• barks
• husks
• skins
• scales
• strips
• shucks
• exposes
• flays
• bares
• pares
• denudes

2

as in bombs

to use bombs or artillery against

the enemy shelled the city for days without letup

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bombs
• batters
• attacks
• cannonades
• bombards
• pounds
• blitzes
• blitzkriegs
• ravages
• rakes
• assaults
• hits
• enfilades
• strafes
• assails
• devastates
• strikes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shells

Noun

The buildings themselves were not empty shells; they were established assets with real tenants. — Khalifa Aldhaheri, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Others, including a company making electronic fuzes for shells used in Gaza, and another that manufactures parts for Israeli tanks, came after. — Allegra Goodwin, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

The decor nods to the outdoor environment, too, with sofas that unfold like waves, armchairs that evoke pebbles and shells, and sculptural details that seem to grow from the walls and ceilings. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2026

The styles range from vibrant turquoise and coral styles to sleek silver or metal versions, or even bolos made of abalone shells or petrified wood, too. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026

Apple has at last updated its iconic miniature desktop (the last go-around was 2024) and somehow spawned two very different Mac minis in two identical shells. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026

Crows pecked at both the living and the dead crabs, and cars shattered the shells into tiny fragments. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

Placing the shells back in the water offers a hard base for baby oysters to grow on. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2026

There will be buckets in or near the table to discard the shells. — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 23 Sep. 2026

Verb

During the drive, a tank shells the car, killing most of the occupants. — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025