sheer

1 of 6

adjective

ˈshir 

1

a

: unqualified, utter

sheer folly

sheer ignorance

b

: being free from an adulterant : pure, unmixed

c

: viewed or acting in dissociation from all else

in terms of sheer numbers

2

: marked by great and continuous steepness

3

: of very thin or transparent texture : diaphanous

4

obsolete : bright, shining

sheerly adverb

sheerness noun

sheer

2 of 6

noun (1)

: a sheer fabric

also : an article of such a fabric

sheer

3 of 6

adverb

1

: straight up or down without a break : perpendicularly

2

: in a complete manner : altogether

sheer

4 of 6

verb

sheered; sheering; sheers

intransitive verb

: to deviate from a course : swerve

transitive verb

: to cause to sheer

sheer

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noun (2)

1

: a turn, deviation, or change in a course (as of a ship)

2

: the position of a ship riding to a single anchor and heading toward it

sheer

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noun (3)

: the fore-and-aft curvature from bow to stern of a ship's deck as shown in side elevation

Synonyms of sheer

Adjective

• transparent
• translucent
• diaphanous

Verb

• deviate
• turn
• swing

Choose the Right Synonym for sheer

steep, abrupt, precipitous, sheer mean having an incline approaching the perpendicular.

steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult.

a steep hill

a steep dive

abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level.

a beach with an abrupt drop-off

precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical.

the river winds through a precipitous gorge

sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse.

sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers

Examples of sheer in a Sentence

Adjective

a sheer drop to the sea

we had to get window shades because passersby could see right through our sheer curtains

Adverb

mountains rising sheer from the plains

Verb

the cruise ship sheered to the northwest, putting it safely out of the path of the hurricane

the car sheered to avoid hitting the dog

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In terms of sheer number of ships, Beijing’s navy is now bigger than Washington’s and Chinese shipyards can churn out new builds at a far higher rate. —Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025

This is a movie designed to repulse as much attract, and one in which its sheer messiness, its chaos-Muppet energy and its mania gets you uncomfortably close to its unraveling main character’s mindset. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025

Noun

Moody hues seemed to be the unspoken shades of the night, boasted by the likes of Elordi and Goth, in maroon suiting and inky black sheer respectively. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025

These faux linen drapes from NiceTown build on the versatility of semi-sheers with 16 color choices and both rod pocket and back tab installation options. —Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025

Adverb

Naomi Watts also went sheer in a daring look from Valentino’s spring 2025 couture collection, which featured a voluminous skirt with a lacy top. —Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025

The classic, barely-there formula also comes in Pink Honey, a soft, sheer pink, and the peachy brown Nude Honey. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025

Verb

This popular formula comes in 50 shades, provides full coverage (which can be easily sheered out or built up) that doesn't fade throughout the day, and doesn't budge on oily skin. —Deanna Pai, Allure, 4 July 2025

The direct hit from an Iranian missile sheered the front off of a ten-story residential building, killing six people and burying several more under mounds of rubble. —Nbc News, NBC news, 15 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English schere freed from guilt, probably alteration of skere, from Old Norse skærr pure; akin to Old English scīnan to shine

Verb

perhaps alteration of shear entry 1

Noun (3)

perhaps alteration of shear entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1568, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Noun (1)

circa 1920, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1539, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1691, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sheer

• sheer gall

Rhymes for sheer

• beer
• bier
• cheer
• clear
• dear
• deer
• drear
• ear
• fear
• fier
• gear
• hear

Kids Definition

sheer

1 of 4 adjective

ˈshi(ə)r 

1

: very thin or transparent

sheer stockings

2

a

: being such to the fullest degree : utter

sheer nonsense

b

: taken or acting apart from everything else

by sheer force

3

: very steep : being almost straight up and down

a sheer drop to the sea

sheerly adverb

sheerness noun

sheer

2 of 4 adverb

1

: in a complete manner : altogether

2

: straight up or down with no break : perpendicularly

sheer

3 of 4 verb

: to swerve from a course

sheer

4 of 4 noun

: a turn or change in the course of a ship

Etymology

Adjective

from earlier sheer "shining," from Middle English sheer "freed from guilt," probably from an early Norse word skærr "pure"

Verb

perhaps an altered form of shear "to cut, cut off"