Thesaurus results for SHILLELAGH

shillelagh

noun

shə-ˈlā-lē

variants also shillalah

Definition of shillelagh

as in cane

a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment the bartender in the Irish pub keeps a shillelagh behind the bar just in case there's trouble

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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 shillelagh The Dogs walked out and David Finlay wrecked the door with the shillelagh. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2026 McDonagh had some help from Finn Balor, who hit Sheamus with a shillelagh when the referee was distracted. — Fernando Quiles Jr, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025 Kelly professionalized a program that kept tripping over its own shillelagh. — Pete Sampson, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025 Maier, who was heading out of town that weekend for a meeting of the National League of Cities, saw the foot-long shillelagh and, according to a Milwaukee Sentinel story by Marta Bender, mistook it for a pipe. — Chris Foran, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025 The original shillelagh was retired with a new one introduced in 1997. — Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shillelagh

Noun

There were taro patches and gardens planted with banana, sweet potato, sugar cane, noni, and more.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
This integrated plant uses BDO (butanediol), an important ingredient made from sugar cane, to provide raw materials for textiles, footwear, packaging and automotive industries.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of cane

Noun

In the deciding Game 4, Vesia took the baton from Glasnow with two outs and two runners on in the fifth, got the inning’s final out on one pitch and came back out in the sixth.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
In Paris, tear gas filled the air, and trash cans, school desks and chairs were set alight as riot police with shields and batons clashed with some demonstrators.

— Melissa Bell, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of baton

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shill

shillelagh

shillelaghs

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“Shillelagh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shillelagh. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of shillelagh

noun

Example Sentences

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