as in postponed
to assign to a later time
let's shelve the project for now
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Recent Examples of shelved
The Looney Tunes movie starring Will Forte, John Cena and Lana Condor was shelved and written off by the David Zaslav-run Warner Bros in November 2023 after completion as the P&A economics for a theatrical release didn’t make sense for the $70M production.
—
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
In August last year, The Athletic revealed the new redevelopment proposals after the first plans, initiated by Villa’s then chief executive Christian Purslow in April 2022, were shelved despite securing planning permission in the December of that year.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Behind her, more than thirty thousand drives were shelved in antistatic bags on metal racks.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Rookie center Dominic James, who appeared to re-injure his right leg, an issue that shelved him for nearly seven weeks, early in Game 1, was a full participant in practice.
—Eduardo A. Encina, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Bloomberg reported separately that individual Microsoft staff had started calling some carbon-removal project developers to tell them the work was being shelved.
—Kyle Stock, Bloomberg, 14 Apr. 2026
In 2018, the Google spinoff Verily shelved its high-profile program to develop a glucose-sensing contact lens that would spare diabetes patients from needle sticks.
—Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 8 Apr. 2026
Drawing on her experience at General Motors, Buckberg said companies are likely reassessing their earlier plans to scale back EV operations, including whether to keep certain models running longer or revive programs that had been shelved.
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026
Things are going to change, and the big-ticket items are going to be shelved or moved behind the counter or just not accessible to anybody but staff.
—Ashley Paul, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
In August last year, The Athletic revealed the new redevelopment proposals after the first plans, initiated by Villa’s then chief executive Christian Purslow in April 2022, were shelved despite securing planning permission in the December of that year.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Behind her, more than thirty thousand drives were shelved in antistatic bags on metal racks.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Rookie center Dominic James, who appeared to re-injure his right leg, an issue that shelved him for nearly seven weeks, early in Game 1, was a full participant in practice.
—Eduardo A. Encina, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Bloomberg reported separately that individual Microsoft staff had started calling some carbon-removal project developers to tell them the work was being shelved.
—Kyle Stock, Bloomberg, 14 Apr. 2026
In 2018, the Google spinoff Verily shelved its high-profile program to develop a glucose-sensing contact lens that would spare diabetes patients from needle sticks.
—Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 8 Apr. 2026
Drawing on her experience at General Motors, Buckberg said companies are likely reassessing their earlier plans to scale back EV operations, including whether to keep certain models running longer or revive programs that had been shelved.
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026
Things are going to change, and the big-ticket items are going to be shelved or moved behind the counter or just not accessible to anybody but staff.
—Ashley Paul, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shelved
Verb
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When shots were fired, hundreds of attendees ducked under tables or took cover inside the ballroom before being evacuated, and the event was subsequently postponed.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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OpenAI is similarly seeking to go public as soon as this year, but that goal could be postponed depending on the trial’s outcome.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In California, the Los Angeles County Counsel is probing allegations that State Farm delayed, underpaid and denied valid insurance claims from last year's wildfires.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
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Altman was buried after a private funeral on March 31, after a public service was delayed when his widow went into labor with their daughter.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That is a different standard than most organizations work under now, where outcomes can be explained, softened or deferred with the right language.—
Richard P. Weigand,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
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His cause of death was deferred.—
Rachel DeSantis,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shelved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shelved. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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