How to Pronounce Shells

To pronounce "shells", say SHELLS — one syllable, IPA /ʃɛlz/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

shells

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Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

6

Letters

/ʃɛlz/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “shells”

"shells" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with parallels and compels, if that helps it stick.

What does shells mean?

noun

  1. A hard external covering of an animal.
  2. The hard calcareous covering of a bird egg.

verb

  1. To remove the outer covering or shell of something.
  2. To bombard, to fire projectiles at, especially with artillery.

Synonyms

shell-like

Hear “shells” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with shells

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

parallelscompelsfarewellsseashellsstairwellsbellsspellsswellsyellsbombshellspropelsknells

Related words

carapacepodeggshellplateblastcasingscalestrafe

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "shells"?▾

"Shells" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "shells"?▾

The IPA transcription of "shells" is /ʃɛlz/.

What does "shells" mean?▾

Shells: A hard external covering of an animal.

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