1
as in shaved
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 sliced
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 sheared
As the continents sheared and twisted unevenly, local forces squeezed together thin ribbons of crust and popped them up like geological meerkats, isolating and slicing them off.
—
Evan Howell, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
It can be lightly sheared to maintain shape but is slow-growing and takes a long time to recover from aggressive pruning.
—Daniel Scott, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2026
The bedding is triple sheared, and as a result, pilling is very minor.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 21 Jan. 2026
The plant’s free-flowing, natural form is quite lovely; however, these versatile shrubs can also be sheared into formal hedges or topiary, limbed up into a standard form, and otherwise trained.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
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 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
Bob had his cheek welded onto the factory plastic, fists gripped to the window frame, all of his pale hair sheared back by the drag.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Evan Howell, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
It can be lightly sheared to maintain shape but is slow-growing and takes a long time to recover from aggressive pruning.
—Daniel Scott, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2026
The bedding is triple sheared, and as a result, pilling is very minor.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 21 Jan. 2026
The plant’s free-flowing, natural form is quite lovely; however, these versatile shrubs can also be sheared into formal hedges or topiary, limbed up into a standard form, and otherwise trained.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
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 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
Bob had his cheek welded onto the factory plastic, fists gripped to the window frame, all of his pale hair sheared back by the drag.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sheared
Verb
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Yukon gold potatoes are shaved to a thickness of about a millimeter, layered with butter and a little corn starch and baked.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The sides were much shorter, shaved down and brushed forward compared to the top.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Strong got the run started with a three-point play and the Huskies sliced through Tennessee's pressure defense for layups.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
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Anyway it’s sliced, the Hornets (22-28) have been impressive of late and improved to 7-13 in clutch games — when the score is within five points during the final five minutes — after holding off the Spurs’ fourth-quarter surge.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
More recently, the mayor spoke out against the county’s plan to cut $200 million in homeless services.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Local reports said Ukrainian missiles hit a power plant and an electrical substation, cutting power to parts of the city.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The explosion, which ripped through the mosque during Friday prayers, was caused by a suicide bomber, police told CNN.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Four people are dead after a fire ripped through a DeKalb County home late Wednesday, officials said.—
Caroline Silva,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The impassioned celebration was quickly clipped and shared across social media, with thousands enjoying what initially looked like a release of unbridled, unrehearsed joy.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Searching for every inch, every millisecond of an advantage, her right arm clipped the fourth gate.—
Will Graves,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In March, the health secretary announced the consolidation of divisions and elimination of 20,000 full-time employees in a major restructuring and slashed funding for research.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
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In 2025, private-sector employers slashed 31,400 jobs, while government employers added 20,200.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Those without physical addresses on their Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation inspection reports have been trimmed from the list.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
-
He's really trimmed the fat from a lot of his game.—
Scott Fowler The Charlotte Observer,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Exotic music pierced with bird calls.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The center is engraved in a pattern of undulating rays emanating from the hour and minute guichets (windows), meant to resemble the edges of clouds pierced through with sunlight.—
Carol Besler,
Robb Report,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sheared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sheared. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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