shelve

verb

ˈshelv 

shelved; shelving

transitive verb

1

: to furnish with shelves

2

: to place on a shelf

shelve books

3

a

: to remove from active service

b

: to put off or aside

shelve a project

intransitive verb

: to slope in a formation like a shelf

shelver noun

Synonyms

• defer
• delay
• hold off (on)
• hold over
• hold up
• lay over
• postpone
• put off
• put over
• remit

Examples of shelve in a Sentence

The books were shelved according to category.

let's shelve the project for now

Recent Examples on the Web

Kraven: The Hunter looks to be another eventual failure for the attempted — and now apparently shelved — Sony Spider-Man Universe. —Mark Hughes, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

Productions include Nicolas Cage comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, and Batgirl, which Warner Bros wound up shelving, controversially. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024

The plan should be shelved until the agency’s finances are transparently accounted for. —Daniel Borenstein, The Mercury News, 6 Dec. 2024

All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey, meanwhile, started the year healthy but has been shelved since Nov. 6 with a right hamstring injury. —Alex Kirschenbaum, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

shelf

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

shelve

verb

ˈshelv 

shelved; shelving

1

: to place on a shelf

shelve books

2

: to put off or aside : defer

shelve a project

shelver noun