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
Though Indian boarding schools still forcibly sheared children’s hair, Jones’s orders for adult men proved too noxious to enforce.
—
Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
Shrubs used as screens can be easily sheared into straight hedges, perfect for the side of driveways, sidewalks, and houses.
—Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2025
In that case, the Tesla's sensors failed to recognize a tractor-trailer crossing the highway and collided with it, shearing the top off the car and killing Banner.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 18 July 2025
But since azaleas tolerate heavy pruning and respond by sending out new shoots all along remaining stems, the shrubs work well when sheared into a formal hedge.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shear
Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
Shrubs used as screens can be easily sheared into straight hedges, perfect for the side of driveways, sidewalks, and houses.
—Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2025
In that case, the Tesla's sensors failed to recognize a tractor-trailer crossing the highway and collided with it, shearing the top off the car and killing Banner.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 18 July 2025
But since azaleas tolerate heavy pruning and respond by sending out new shoots all along remaining stems, the shrubs work well when sheared into a formal hedge.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shear
Verb
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Last week, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that tariffs would shave trillions of dollars off the federal budget deficit.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
29 Aug. 2025
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Per a Vogue cover story earlier this month, the actress’ head was shaved in real time during a scene in the movie.—
Jack Smart,
People.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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That's when the state is planning to put Ralph Menzies to death for the murder of 25-year-old Maurine Hunsaker, a married mother of three who was found tied to a tree with her throat slit nearly 40 years ago.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
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When Rochelle Luna, 18, arrived at the house hours later, Djerf bound, gagged and raped her before stabbing her and slitting her throat, the brief said.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Initially lined up outside, Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones quickly cut inside to beat the right tackle.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
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On the northeast of the fire, by Sugar Pine Mountain, crews worked in steep, inaccessible terrain to bring containment lines into the natural rock bluff, trying to cut the fire off south of the Wishon Reservoir for the protection of the critical hydroelectric infrastructure.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Shoppers recommend slicing it before freezing so individual portions are ready to grab whenever a craving hits.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Sep. 2025
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Its beauty lies in low-slung pastel buildings, pine forests edging the city, and ferries slicing through the Baltic toward fortress islands like Suomenlinna—while locals linger in cafés over cardamom buns or get cozy in harborside saunas.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Undeterred, Rodgers connected on a five-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Warren to trim the deficit to 26-24.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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For his efforts, which also included spending more than $7,000 to trim trees and cut down two redwoods and a fir, he was rewarded with a certificate from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety that persuaded his insurer to maintain his coverage.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sometimes the stories were ripped from the headlines, capitalizing on media frenzy.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
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The Padres ripped him for six runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Assembly is best as a two-person job, but pretty much consists of clipping the arms to the seats and plugging in the motors.—
Zoë Sessums,
Architectural Digest,
4 Sep. 2025
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The video quickly clipped to the white sedan engulfed in flames.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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On the other hand, Democrats have worked to nationalize the race by tying Earle-Sears to Trump and his efforts to slash the federal workforce.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Sep. 2025
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The deadly shooting occurred on a street in the Brownsville section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn near the 73rd Precinct station house, where the suspect slashed an officer with a knife that authorities said had a 14-inch blade, according to police.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shear. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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