1
as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
it took almost a week to shear all the wool off the flock of sheep
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to slit
to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife)
the shark's razor-sharp teeth sheared the swimmer's flesh right down to the bone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shear
Commonly sheared to create a formal hedge or neatly clipped into a topiary, Japanese holly is a unique, fast-growing holly.
—
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Avoid shearing the plants back to the same size each year.
—Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2025
Dramatic new video shows the jet’s rear landing gear buckling and the right wing shearing away in a fireball after making a hard landing.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 19 Feb. 2025
Rescue workers sheared his clothes off him with scissors, put a brace around his neck and laid him on a board.
—Katherine Rosman, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shear
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Avoid shearing the plants back to the same size each year.
—Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2025
Dramatic new video shows the jet’s rear landing gear buckling and the right wing shearing away in a fireball after making a hard landing.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 19 Feb. 2025
Rescue workers sheared his clothes off him with scissors, put a brace around his neck and laid him on a board.
—Katherine Rosman, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shear
Verb
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Tommaso Ciampa has recently undergone a noticeable change in appearance by shaving off his trademark beard.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
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With cord-cutting continuing to shave the traditional pay-TV bundle by millions of subscribers a year, however, FAST has become an increasingly vibrant part of the TV ecosystem.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Then, fearing he'd be blamed, Tripp stole a knife from the office of pastry chef Didier Gotthard (Bronson Pinchot) and used it to slit A.B.'s wrists in order to make his death look more like a suicide.—
Megan McCluskey,
TIME,
21 Mar. 2025
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Heat is then directed upward and outward via outlet slits on the card edges to reduce the recirculation of heated air.—
John Burek,
PCMAG,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Those scenes were ultimately cut for space before the show ever started production, so Mazin resurrected the idea for Season 2.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2025
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In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that more than 80% of all USAID grants were being permanently cut.—
Violet Ikong,
Christian Science Monitor,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Three men wearing ski masks, dark clothing and gloves had used power tools to slice open a hole in the museum’s door, crawl in and smash glass cabinets to steal the white pomegranate vase, as well as a porcelain bowl and doucai-style wine cup, also from the imperial Ming dynasty.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
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Expect classic Swiss mountain fare, including an array of sausages, sliced veal Zurich-style in a cream sauce with mushrooms, homemade pâtés, terrines pates, and beef tartare.—
Everett Potter,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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If that’s the case, then trimming current expenses to increase savings should accompany the move to a more conservative portfolio.—
Bill Conerly,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Its snug cabin is beautifully trimmed in high-quality materials, and features wireless phone charging, Apple CarPlay connectivity, and a premium Bowers & Wilkins audio system.—
Tim Pitt,
Robb Report,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The bomb explodes at 9:02 a.m., ripping to ruins the nine-story structure.—
Todd Pendleton,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The thought of being ripped from her home, without time to pack up her belongings or say goodbye to friends, shakes her to the core.—
Rebecca Plevin,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Two American Airlines planes clipped wings at Reagan National Airport, the FAA said.—
7News WJLA (Washington),
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2025
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Washington — Several members of Congress were on a plane that was sitting on the tarmac waiting to leave Washington on Thursday when it was clipped by another aircraft.—
Kathryn Krupnik,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Big studios have slashed budgets, making life for production crews more financially precarious.—
Steven Kurutz,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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The vacuum, which is typically priced at $450, has been slashed to just $300 at Amazon.—
Amy Schulman,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shear. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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