shelter
gb/ʃˈɛltɚ/ us/ʃˈɛltɚ/
A2
English
~ 6700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
place that gives protection
A place or building where people or animals are safe from rain, cold, or danger.
Usage pattern:
a shelter for [people/animals]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the noun 'shelter' with the verb and say *'we sheltered in a shelter place'* instead of 'we took shelter' or 'we went to a shelter'. Also, 'shelter' as a place is usually countable: 'a shelter', 'several shelters', not *'much shelter'*, unless you mean protection in general.
Synonyms
refuge (Often suggests a safe place during danger or stress; a little more formal or emotional.)
|
haven (Emphasizes a peaceful, safe place; slightly literary.)
Antonyms
exposure (Describes being left without protection against weather or danger.)
Collocations
take shelter
|seek shelter
|find shelter
|emergency shelter
|temporary shelter
|bus shelter
Themes
daily life
|housing
|safety
|daily_life
|weather
Examples
- We took shelter under a bridge until the storm passed.
- The hikers built a simple shelter from branches and leaves.
- After the tornado, many families spent the night in an emergency shelter.
- Each bus stop has a glass shelter to protect passengers from the rain.
- The dog crawled into a small shelter at the back of the yard.
Learner examples
- They ran to a shelter when it started to hail.
- We slept in a small shelter in the mountains.
- The cat needs a warm shelter in winter.
- People waited in the bus shelter during the heavy rain.
- The village has a big shelter for storms.
Noun
B1
entity
2
place that houses people in need
A place where people or animals with problems can stay and get help for a short time.
Usage pattern:
a [type] shelter for [group]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *'house for homeless'* instead of 'homeless shelter', or *'dog shelter'* in contexts where 'animal shelter' is more natural because it cares for many kinds of animals.
Synonyms
facility (Neutral word for a service building; less focused on safety and care.)
|
center (Common in names like 'crisis center'; stresses services, not just housing.)
Antonyms
permanent housing (Contrasts with temporary, emergency accommodation provided by a shelter.)
Collocations
homeless shelter
|women's shelter
|animal shelter
|emergency shelter
|shelter staff
|open a shelter
Themes
social issues
|housing
|animals
|daily_life
|health
Examples
- She volunteers at a homeless shelter twice a week.
- The city opened an emergency shelter for families after the flood.
- They adopted their dog from an animal shelter outside town.
- Many women’s shelters offer counseling as well as a safe place to stay.
- During the heat wave, the community center served as a cooling shelter.
Learner examples
- He slept in a homeless shelter last night.
- We got our cat from an animal shelter.
- The town opened a shelter after the fire.
- Many children at the shelter need clothes.
- She works at a women’s shelter.
Verb
B1
action
3
to protect from weather or danger
To keep someone or something safe from rain, cold, wind, or danger, usually by covering or hiding them.
Usage pattern:
to shelter [someone/something] from [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes omit the preposition and say *'shelter him the rain'* instead of 'shelter him from the rain'. The common pattern is 'shelter [someone] from [rain/wind/danger]'.
Synonyms
protect (Very general term; 'shelter' often suggests physical cover or a specific place.)
|
shield (Stresses blocking something harmful like wind, rain, or blows.)
Antonyms
expose (Means to leave someone or something without protection against danger or bad conditions.)
Collocations
shelter from the rain
|trees shelter
|shelter refugees
|shelter indoors
|shelter livestock
|shelter the population
Themes
daily life
|safety
|environment
|core_vocabulary
|weather
Examples
- The thick forest sheltered them from the strong wind.
- Families sheltered in the school gym during the hurricane.
- A high wall shelters the garden from the road noise.
- Volunteers worked to shelter displaced families after the earthquake.
- They sheltered their equipment under a plastic sheet.
Learner examples
- The trees shelter the house from the wind.
- We sheltered in the basement during the storm.
- She used an umbrella to shelter the baby from the sun.
- The cave sheltered them from the heavy rain.
- People sheltered inside until it was safe.
Noun
B2
state
4
state of being protected
The feeling or condition of being safe from rain, danger, or harm.
Usage pattern:
shelter from [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *'protect from'* when 'shelter from' sounds more natural with weather: 'We needed shelter from the rain', not *'protection of the rain'*. Also note that here 'shelter' is uncountable: 'seek shelter', not *'seek a shelter'* when you mean protection in general.
Synonyms
protection (General word for safety; does not always suggest a physical cover.)
|
security (Emphasizes emotional or long-term safety rather than quick cover.)
Antonyms
vulnerability (Describes being open and unprotected against harm or danger.)
Collocations
seek shelter
|find shelter
|under the shelter of
|offer shelter
|give shelter
|shelter from the storm
Themes
safety
|emotions
|literature
|core_vocabulary
|weather
Examples
- They ran, desperate for shelter from the hailstones.
- Under the shelter of darkness, the prisoners escaped.
- He offered her shelter from the chaos of the city.
- For many, the group provided emotional shelter during a difficult time.
- Refugees sought shelter from the bombing across the border.
Learner examples
- We looked for shelter from the heavy rain.
- At last they found shelter from the storm.
- The cave gave them shelter from the wind.
- He needed shelter from the cold night.
- She found shelter from her problems with her friends.
Verb
B2
action
5
to overprotect from reality
To keep someone away from bad things in life so much that they do not see or understand real life.
Usage pattern:
to shelter [someone] from [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use only 'protect' and miss the idea of 'too much'. 'Shelter' in this sense often suggests overprotection or limited experience, especially with children.
Synonyms
overprotect (Directly suggests being too protective, especially with children.)
|
shield (Can be used figuratively, but does not by itself imply 'too much'.)
Antonyms
expose (In this context, to let someone face real-life problems or truths instead of hiding them.)
Collocations
shelter children
|shelter someone from reality
|shelter kids from the world
|shelter her from the truth
|shelter students from criticism
Themes
family
|emotions
|education
|relationships
Examples
- They tried not to shelter their children from every disappointment.
- He was sheltered from the realities of poverty as a child.
- The company can no longer shelter its staff from the effects of the recession.
- Parents sometimes shelter teenagers from difficult conversations about money.
- She felt her strict school had sheltered her from the outside world.
Learner examples
- His parents sheltered him from all problems.
- She was sheltered from real life when she was young.
- We should not shelter children from every bad thing.
- The school sheltered the students from the news.
- He does not want to shelter his kids from failure.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
6
arrangement to reduce taxes
A way of putting or moving money so that a person or company pays less tax.
Usage pattern:
a tax shelter for [money/income]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'tax shelter' is a physical place, but it is an arrangement or system for money, not a building.
Synonyms
tax haven (Usually refers to a country or place with very low taxes, not the specific financial arrangement.)
|
loophole (A legal gap or weakness that allows people to avoid tax; not always a planned structure like a shelter.)
Antonyms
taxable investment (An investment where income is fully subject to normal taxes, without protective arrangements.)
Collocations
tax shelter
|legal shelter
|create a tax shelter
|use a tax shelter
|offshore shelter
|investment shelter
Themes
business
|finance
|law
Examples
- The company was accused of using offshore tax shelters to hide its profits.
- Retirement accounts can act as a tax shelter for long-term savings.
- Governments are tightening rules to close abusive tax shelters.
- Investors looked for a legal tax shelter to reduce their overall bill.
- The scheme was later ruled an illegal tax shelter by the court.
Learner examples
- Some rich people use tax shelters to pay less tax.
- The new law will stop many tax shelters.
- A pension plan can be a simple tax shelter.
- They put their savings in a tax shelter.
- The company was fined for an illegal tax shelter.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shelter
IPA
GB/ʃˈɛltɚ/
US/ʃˈɛltɚ/
Syllables & stress
shel - ter (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (shel)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: shelter
- Plural: shelter, shelters
Verb
- Base: shelter
- 3rd Person Singular: shelters
- Present Participle: sheltering
- Past: sheltered
Word family
Forms
shelters
noun
sheltering
verb
sheltered
verb
Negative and opposite forms
unsheltered
adjective
Expressions
animal shelter
1/ˈænəməl ʃˈɛltɚ/
fixed phrase
place for homeless animals
A place where lost, homeless, or unwanted animals are kept, fed, and cared for until they find a new home.
Examples
- We decided to adopt a dog from the local animal shelter.
- The animal shelter is full of cats and dogs in need of families.
- She volunteers at an animal shelter every weekend.
find shelter
1/fˈaɪnd ʃˈɛltɚ/
fixed phrase
successfully get to safety
To succeed in getting to a safe place where you are protected from danger or bad weather.
Examples
- They walked for hours before they finally found shelter for the night.
- We need to find shelter before it gets dark.
- The refugees found shelter in an abandoned warehouse.
give shelter
1/ɡˈɪv ʃˈɛltɚ/
fixed phrase
let someone stay safely
To allow someone to stay in your home or building so they are safe from danger, war, or bad weather.
Examples
- Local families gave shelter to tourists who were stranded by the storm.
- They were arrested for giving shelter to escaped prisoners.
- The church gave shelter to dozens of people during the flood.
provide shelter
1/pɹəvˈaɪd ʃˈɛltɚ/
fixed phrase
supply a safe place
To give or supply a safe place where people or animals can stay and be protected.
Examples
- The camp is designed to provide shelter for up to 1,000 people.
- Trees provide shelter and shade for many animals.
- The charity provides shelter and food for the homeless.
seek shelter
1/sˈik ʃˈɛltɚ/
fixed phrase
look for a safe place
To look for a safe place where you can be protected from danger or bad weather.
Examples
- Residents were advised to seek shelter as the hurricane approached.
- The animals sought shelter beneath the trees.
- People sought shelter in nearby schools and churches after the earthquake.
shelter in place
1/ʃˈɛltɚ ˈɪn plˈeɪs/
phrasal verb
stay indoors during danger
To stay inside the building you are already in during an emergency, because it is safer than going outside.
Examples
- Authorities instructed residents to shelter in place until the suspect was caught.
- During the chemical spill, workers were told to shelter in place and close all windows.
- Students sheltered in place for several hours while police searched the campus.
shelter someone from
1/ʃˈɛltɚ sˈʌmwˌʌn fɹˈʌm/
fixed phrase
protect someone from something
To keep a person away from something bad, such as bad news, danger, or hard parts of life.
Examples
- They tried to shelter their children from the worst of the news.
- He had been sheltered from poverty and did not understand their struggles.
- The school cannot shelter students from every difficult situation.
take shelter
1/tˈeɪk ʃˈɛltɚ/
fixed phrase
go to a safe place
To quickly go to a safe place to be protected from danger, rain, wind, or attack.
Examples
- When the sirens sounded, everyone was told to take shelter in the basement.
- We took shelter in a café until the heavy rain stopped.
- Hikers were forced to take shelter under some rocks during the storm.
tax shelter
1/tˈæks ʃˈɛltɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
financial way to cut tax
A special way of saving or investing money that helps a person or company pay less tax.
Examples
- The government is closing several popular tax shelters used by high earners.
- Investing in retirement accounts can act as a simple tax shelter.
- He was criticized for putting his profits into an offshore tax shelter.
under the shelter of
1/ˈʌndɚ ðə ʃˈɛltɚ əv/
fixed phrase
literary
protected by something
Protected by something that covers you or keeps you safe, sometimes used in a poetic or formal way.
Examples
- They waited under the shelter of a big oak tree.
- Under the shelter of darkness, the soldiers crossed the river.
- She grew up under the shelter of a loving but strict family.
women's shelter
1/wˈɪmənz ʃˈɛltɚ/
fixed phrase
safe place for abused women
A safe place where women who are in danger, often from a partner, can stay and get help.
Examples
- She and her children moved into a women’s shelter after leaving her abusive husband.
- Donations to the women’s shelter help pay for counseling services.
- The town finally opened its first women’s shelter last year.
homeless shelter
1/hˈoʊmləs ʃˈɛltɚ/
fixed phrase
shelter for homeless people
A place where people without homes can sleep and get basic help for a short time.
Examples
- He spent several nights at a homeless shelter after losing his job.
- He volunteers at a homeless shelter twice a week.
- The city plans to open a new homeless shelter this winter.
- The city opened a new homeless shelter near the train station.
- Volunteers cooked dinner at the homeless shelter.