Meaning & use
shell out money
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Meanings
phraseidiominformal
To pay a lot of money for something, often unwillingly or because you have no choice.
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase: the subject is the person paying, and the thing bought usually follows 'for': shell out money for a car.
Patterns
- shell out money for something
- shell out money on something
- shell out for something
We had to shell out money for a new roof after the storm.
He shells out money every month for his daughter's piano lessons.
I can't believe I shelled out money for tickets that cost that much.
phraseidiominformal
To pay a sum of money, especially a large or unexpected one, for a service or repair.
Grammar: Often used when the amount feels annoying or unfair; 'shell out' alone can replace the full phrase.
Patterns
- shell out money for something
- shell out money to someone
They shelled out money to the mechanic and still had problems with the car.
You'll have to shell out money to the landlord before you move in.
Word forms
| third person singular | shells out money |
|---|---|
| past tense | shelled out money |
| past participle | shelled out money |
| -ing form | shelling out money |
Common combinations
- shell out money for
- They shelled out money for a bigger apartment.
- have to shell out
- We had to shell out for a plumber on a Sunday.
- shell out a fortune
- She shelled out a fortune on that handbag.
- end up shelling out
- If you wait too long, you end up shelling out more.
- shell out cash
- He shelled out cash for the repairs instead of using a card.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pay
- The neutral, general word; use it in formal writing where 'shell out' would sound too casual.
- fork out
- Very close in meaning and equally informal, but more common in British English.
- spend
- Focuses on using money over time rather than the pain of a single payment.
Opposites
Word family
- shell out phrasal verb
- The shorter form, meaning the same thing when the context makes clear what is being paid for.
Commonly confused: shell out money or sell out?
shell out money vs sell out
'Sell out' means all the goods are gone or someone betrays a principle; 'shell out' is only about paying.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'shell out money' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Shell out money for something' is the standard pattern, so 'for the wedding' is correct. The other options use the wrong preposition or none at all.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shell out money”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.