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
They are commonly sheared into Christmas trees, candy canes
or other holiday shapes.
—
Janet B. Carson, arkansasonline.com, 9 Dec. 2024
With their large leaves, hollies look best when they are pruned rather than sheared.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Scientists predict that Triton might one day wander too close and end up becoming gravitationally sheared into fragments.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
Just in the last month, Nicola Peltz-Beckham (sporting a chop reminiscent of her mother-in-law's iconic Posh Spice chop), Selena Gomez, and Beyoncé have sheared up and joined the short hair club.
—Konstanze Popp, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for shear
Janet B. Carson, arkansasonline.com, 9 Dec. 2024
With their large leaves, hollies look best when they are pruned rather than sheared.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Scientists predict that Triton might one day wander too close and end up becoming gravitationally sheared into fragments.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
Just in the last month, Nicola Peltz-Beckham (sporting a chop reminiscent of her mother-in-law's iconic Posh Spice chop), Selena Gomez, and Beyoncé have sheared up and joined the short hair club.
—Konstanze Popp, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for shear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shear
Verb
-
In this case, a clever player can easily shave off about half of Nikador's health pool, potentially a lot more.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
-
Did football culture, which at one time shaved penises into a rookie player’s head as a hazing ritual, need to change?—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Authorities said Ford first attacked Gregory, shooting him with a rifle, beating him and slitting his throat.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Police believe Ford first attacked Gregory, shooting him in the back of the head, bludgeoning him and slitting his throat.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr.,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Today, Meaghan Garvey offers an ontological bonus cut from her time in Sweden with King Nothingg.—
Meaghan Garvey,
Pitchfork,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Another option for cutting expenses would be to shift more Medicaid costs to the states, which would also be a de facto cut in services, since states, even California, likely couldn’t afford to keep the plan as-is without that federal money.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Stir shredded chicken and thinly sliced carrots and celery to reserved broth; bring to a simmer over medium.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Giannis Antetokounmpo is an unstoppable force, a one-man wrecking crew capable of slicing through defenders with a combination of length, strength, and skill that might be unmatched in NBA history.—
Brian Sampson,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Indeed, superhero cinema seems to be trimming a lot of the fat that’s contributed to the genre’s loss of gloss from its heady days of late-2010s.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
-
Also different in 2025, five broad categories were trimmed to three.—
David Spiegel,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Republicans have ripped the idea, saying that a credit of $50 would not have much impact on a family of four that is trying to pay the bills.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
18 Feb. 2025
-
In early January, several fires ripped through parts of Los Angeles, burning tens of thousands of acres and destroying more than 9,000 buildings, including homes and businesses.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Just clip them in, style them as needed, and voilà—instant cool-girl bangs with zero regrets.—
Allure,
Allure,
24 Feb. 2025
-
When a truck carrying Mr. Nasrallah’s coffin entered the stadium, the crowd erupted in shrieks and cries as the voice of the former Hezbollah leader — clipped from his speeches — echoed from speakers.—
Christina Goldbaum,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The most expensive contract that DOGE claims to have slashed is $8 billion to D&G Support Services LLC to provide services for the Office of Diversity and Civil Rights within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, starting in late 2022.—
Andre Tartar Bloomberg News (TNS),
arkansasonline.com,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Beyond the ability to reap new rewards, going digital with cards ramps up security, slashes cash dependency and boosts financial transparency.—
Forbes,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to shear
Cite this Entry
“Shear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shear. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
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