shed 1 of 2

Definition of shednext

shed

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word shed different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of shed are cast, discard, junk, scrap, and slough. While all these words mean "to get rid of," shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster.

shed a bad habit
finally sloughed off the depression

When would cast be a good substitute for shed?

Although the words cast and shed have much in common, cast, especially when used with off, away, or out, implies a forceful rejection or repudiation.

cast off her friends

When is it sensible to use discard instead of shed?

While the synonyms discard and shed are close in meaning, discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless.

discard old clothes

How do scrap and junk relate to one another, in the sense of shed?

Both scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form.

scrap all the old ways
would junk our educational system

How is the word shed different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of shed are cast, discard, junk, scrap, and slough. While all these words mean "to get rid of," shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster.

shed a bad habit
finally sloughed off the depression

When would cast be a good substitute for shed?

Although the words cast and shed have much in common, cast, especially when used with off, away, or out, implies a forceful rejection or repudiation.

cast off her friends

When is it sensible to use discard instead of shed?

While the synonyms discard and shed are close in meaning, discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless.

discard old clothes

How do scrap and junk relate to one another, in the sense of shed?

Both scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form.

scrap all the old ways
would junk our educational system

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 shed
Verb
Autopsy sheds light on cause of death Ahead of the charges against Burke, details of how Celeste died and who was under investigation remained hidden as authorities convened a grand jury and shielded investigative findings from the public. Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026 The star has no more fuel to burn and has shed layers of gas and dust in a series of shells, blasting out into space. Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
My family started Susquehanna Glass in 1910 when my grandfather installed a cutting machine in a shed behind his house. Walter Rowen, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026 Of course, Harley-Davidson started in a shed. Dana Taylor, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shed
Verb
  • Jackson arrived in a U-Haul filled with wood and began to unload the vehicle when he and the homeowner were approached by Omondi, who was naked, police have said.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
  • The Hauler has no cab (essentially a self-driving platform) and is designed for 40-foot and 53-foot shipping containers and runs dock-to-dock—unloading at the destination rather than dropping a trailer and leaving.
    Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Lindley Hut sits south of Ashcroft near Star Peak, according to the hut system.
    Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Working in hail and snow, York and the others built log huts.
    Craig Fehrman, Space.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • While at a brunch with Barbour in New York City, the media mogul ditched casual jeans for an elegant denim skirt.
    Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Certainly not the men who’ve ditched their oxfords and brogues in favor of that most casual category of non-sneaker shoe, the loafer.
    Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Level 5 accident dumped radioactive contamination across Europe and it is thought that traces of isotope iodine-131 may have caused several hundred cancer diagnoses.
    Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Next to it was one of the vast open spaces where the city of Ottawa carted and dumped the snow removed from city streets—a vast mountain range of gray-white that survived into the heat of early summer.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The same storm flooded the South Beach guard shack and just weeks later, another blow finished it off, leaving the building destroyed.
    Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Explore its 52-block historic district that’s dotted with Victorian mansions, legendary seafood shacks, and an arts scene that far exceeds expectations for a small town.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The first-stage booster that had been tapped during the original attempts was discarded for a new booster.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Be sure to properly discard all smoking materials.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Bambaataa denied all the allegations but lost the civil case after refusing to appear in court.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The hosts talk about why the Padres, who play in one of the league’s smaller markets and recently lost their local TV partner to bankruptcy, are worth so much.
    Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Most of your driving will be on dirt roads, and your accommodations typically include a tent or lean-to.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Before the lean-to was finished, Tom crawled into it and wrapped the deerskin around his feet without taking his boots off.
    Elwyn "Bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/shed. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

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