ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sheltered

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈʃɛɫtɝd// UK //ʃˈɛltəd// shel·tered

adj. protected from the difficult or unpleasant parts of life. You use this to describe someone who has not had to deal with many problems or dangers.

adj. protected from harmful or unpleasant experiences; lacking exposure to the hardships of the world. Often used to describe an upbringing or a person's perspective.


SIMPLE

He had a very sheltered childhood in a small village.

CONTEXTUAL

Growing up in a wealthy, gated community left her somewhat sheltered from the economic realities of the city.

COMPLEX

The protagonist's journey serves as a transition from a sheltered existence to a more nuanced understanding of social inequality and personal responsibility.

Synonyms
Usage

Often used predicatively after 'be' or 'seem', or attributively before nouns like 'upbringing', 'life', or 'childhood'.

© 2026 English Reference