shave 1 of 2

verb

ˈshāv How to pronounce shave (audio)
Definition of shavenext
1
as in to cut
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument he always shaves most of his hair off when the weather starts getting warmer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to brush
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing just shaved the concrete post as the car turned the corner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shave

2 of 2

noun

as in shaving

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shave
Verb
Giffords was hooked up to tubes and monitors, and her head was shaved. — Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026 Try roasting it with olive oil and salt, sautéing it and adding it to a pasta or grain bowl, or shaving it with a vegetable peeler and adding the raw strips to a salad for some crunch. — Sarah Anzlovar, Verywell Health, 20 July 2026
Noun
The first is a transparent, non-foaming gel that's a must-have for a smarter shave. — Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026 There are also plenty of oils (specifically, avocado, macadamia, and almond) to help prime the skin for a close, comfortable shave, free of irritation. — Eden Stuart, Allure, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for shave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shave
  1. cut
  2. brush
  3. shaving
  4. trim
  5. kiss
  6. clipping
  7. clip
  8. paring
Verb
  • At the same time, the data shows, courts have severely cut the length of time many people are getting to prepare for complex immigration proceedings, from about six months to often just a little more than a month.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Using a paring knife, mark a smaller square inside each pastry square, leaving a 1/2 inch border (do not cut all the way through the dough).
    — Torie Cox, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut
Verb
  • The Daily Dividend In an interview with CNBC yesterday, Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su brushed off Elon Musk's comments about SpaceX exclusively using Nvidia chips.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Lightly brush the salmon fillets with the mustard and top with the panko/Parmesan mixture, pressing down lightly to adhere.
    — Carole Kotkin, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of brush
Noun
  • Advice is likely to move upstream, away from shaving fixes and toward friction reduction.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
  • Chlorine doesn't magically seal a shaving nick, scraped knee, or healing surgical incision.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 20 July 2026
Definition of shaving
Verb
  • The Halos trimmed the deficit to 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Vaughn Grissom singled and Denzer Guzman drove an opposite-field, two-run homer to right-center, his fifth of the season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Three-year programs typically work by reducing the credit requirement from 120 down to 90 or 100, largely by trimming general education requirements, open electives, and the room for a double major or a semester abroad.
    — Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of trim
Verb
  • Jones is accused of committing nine offenses against the man, including kissing him multiple times without consent and touching the man’s genitals while the man was driving.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • More recently, Bunnie Xo spoke about kissing someone else over the July 4th holiday — at Jelly Roll’s Nashville bar — and how the country star reacted.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 31 July 2026
Definition of kiss
Noun
  • According to a clipping of an article written in the Jamaica Observer, Malcolm was also a dance instructor.
    — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
  • That includes a bath with breed-appropriate shampoo, a blow-dry and brush-out, a haircut or trim based on breed and preference, nail clipping and filing, ear cleaning and eye area cleaning.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
Definition of clipping
Verb
  • On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Yamamoto turned to his splitter for the first time, barely clipping the inside edge of the strike zone.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The second worker was clipped in the jaw by a misfiring nail gun.
    — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of clip
Noun
  • The paring back of Fed communications is part of a larger package of potential reforms to the central bank’s operations that Warsh signaled Wednesday.
    — Christopher Rugaber, Fortune, 20 June 2026
  • The paring back of Fed communications is part of a larger package of potential reforms to the central bank's operations that Warsh signaled Wednesday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 June 2026
Definition of paring

Phrases Containing shave

Browse Nearby Words

shatters
shave
shaved
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shave. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on shave

Nglish: Translation of shave for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All