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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of shear
Doctors soon found that the on-field hits had sheared a blood vessel in Bledsoe's chest, which was rapidly filling his body with blood.
—
Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
The $1,850 scarves start with 400 grams of raw cashmere sheared from the undercoat of high-altitude hircus goats.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2025
The tiny leaves are easily sheared and sculpted into any shape.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
The military truck towered over the civilian car, its armored plating intact while the SUV's side was sheared in.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shear
Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
The $1,850 scarves start with 400 grams of raw cashmere sheared from the undercoat of high-altitude hircus goats.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2025
The tiny leaves are easily sheared and sculpted into any shape.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
The military truck towered over the civilian car, its armored plating intact while the SUV's side was sheared in.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shear
Verb
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Deeper cuts could be a 'stretch' Glendale has already asked residents to shave down their water use after shortages hit the Colorado River.—
Austin Corona,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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And the only questions she's getting asked are about shaving her head.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The killer slit Catherine's throat with a razor so severely that her head was nearly severed before striking them both with an axe, per the Times-Picayune.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
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The next morning, when Morse arrived for work, Nicholson stabbed her repeatedly and slit her throat before placing her body inside a large plastic bin in the kitchen pantry, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An emergency order by the FAA on Thursday said airlines have to cut traffic by 4%, resulting in about 800 flight cancellations for Friday that increased to over 1,000 throughout the day, according to FlightAware.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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Southwest Airlines cut about 120 flights Friday.—
JOSH FUNK,
Arkansas Online,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Remove top and slice into pieces for dipping; set aside.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
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The pizza features new deli-style pepperoni, a three-cheese blend, and signature Italian seasoning, sliced into eight extra-extra-large pieces and delivered in the restaurant's largest box yet.—
Daniel Orton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Fears aired an alley-oop dunk to forward Carson Cooper on the next play, the first score of the second half, to trim Arkansas’ lead to 39-38.—
Matt Byrne,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
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The key is to fold the scarf over itself to create volume and to look for a lace trim that leaves the hem frayed, so as not to look too formal.—
Arancha Gamo,
Glamour,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Midway through the third quarter, true freshman linebacker Mason Posa, buried on the depth chart just weeks ago, ripped the ball loose at Washington’s 7-yard line and fell on it himself.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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This is ripped from the news, our dark timeline.—
Andy Hoglund,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Once Jeopardy's John Pork question was clipped for TikTok, users on the platform argued that the clue wasn't completely accurate, as John Pork appeared on social media as early as 2018, before generative AI was widely accessible.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Nov. 2025
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Melissa went on to tear through Cuba and the Bahamas before clipping Bermuda on its way out to sea.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Major airlines have announced further cancellations to hundreds of flights scheduled through the weekend after more than 1,000 were slashed on Friday.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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Fiserv’s crash came after the compan y slashed its full-year guidance and announced several changes to its executive leadership team.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shear. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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