: a fissile rock that is formed by the consolidation of clay, mud, or silt, has a finely stratified or laminated structure, and is composed of minerals essentially unaltered since deposition
Examples of shale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But worse than the discomfort was the way that the shale sucked away my body’s vital heat.
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Jim Carmichel, Outdoor Life, 25 July 2024
Massive shale deposits moved temporary workers across western and midwestern states.
—Matthew Gault, WIRED, 22 July 2024
The emergence of the North American shale sector had upended the cartel’s decades-long dominance of the global oil market, prompting OPEC leaders to pursue a strategy of detente during closed-door gatherings on the sidelines of industry conferences in Houston.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 19 July 2024
Natural gas is 85 to 90 percent methane, which is primarily produced by hydraulic fracturing cracking deep shales underground to release gas.
—Justin Mikulka, Scientific American, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for shale 
Jim Carmichel, Outdoor Life, 25 July 2024
Massive shale deposits moved temporary workers across western and midwestern states.
—Matthew Gault, WIRED, 22 July 2024
The emergence of the North American shale sector had upended the cartel’s decades-long dominance of the global oil market, prompting OPEC leaders to pursue a strategy of detente during closed-door gatherings on the sidelines of industry conferences in Houston.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 19 July 2024
Natural gas is 85 to 90 percent methane, which is primarily produced by hydraulic fracturing cracking deep shales underground to release gas.
—Justin Mikulka, Scientific American, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for shale
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Shale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shale. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
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