SHEARED Synonyms: 64 Similar and Opposite Words

sheared

verb

Definition of sheared

past tense of shear

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

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

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 sheared The impact sheared the pole and caused the vehicle to catch fire. — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 Cotton/polyester fleece are brushed, sheared and sueded for a buttery soft hand feel. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 28 July 2026 The force of the crash sheared the seatbelt Miller was wearing, and he was thrown from the vehicle. — Alex Andrejev, New York Times, 17 July 2026 Second, victims of higher taxes don’t stand still and get sheared like obedient sheep. — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 With the jet tipped on its side and nearly sheared in half, several people managed to climb out it while a firefighter using a small ladder rescued the last remaining passenger who appeared to be unconscious. — ABC News, 17 June 2026 It can be sheared into a formal hedge or shaped into a ball. — Daniel Scott, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 June 2026 Anchusa plants look better and self-seed less if sheared back after flowering. — Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 9 May 2026 Up next was pineapple, its spikes thoughtfully sheared smooth and cut into spears. — Literary Hub, 8 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sheared

Verb

Luckily, Atlanta is home to a wider world of frozen desserts, from Indonesian shaved ice to Mexican popsicles.

— Lia Picard - For the AJC, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
At 25, England cricketer Chris Lewis experienced an even more direct consequence after team-mate Devon Malcolm shaved his head during England’s 1994 West Indies tour to raise money for Children in Need.

— Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of shaved

Verb

Florida chef Elijah Button was chopping onions in June when his knife slipped and sliced his middle finger to the bone.

— Ali Swenson, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Another veneer is made of eucalyptus from the paper industry, which is formed into a block then sliced into the veneer during a ten-week process.

— Alistair Charlton, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of sliced

Verb

The threat of shortages pushed countries across Asia to impose export bans, cut import duties, and start rationing fuel to maintain supplies.

— Katie Silver, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Unlike the heavy smoky eyes and cut creases of the 2010s, this trend is throwing it back to the 1990s when smoky eyes were more minimalist.

— Elle Turner, Glamour, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of cut

Verb

Councilwoman Laura Madigan, D-Ward 1, said the issue surfaced again about two years ago after a semi-truck apparently clipped a new streetlight while making the turn onto Lincoln Street.

— Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026
His rhythm is clipped instead of musical, and Truman chooses to emphasize the words of his speech without emotion.

— USA Today, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of clipped

Verb

On the night of Thursday, August 30, the skies of London slashed with lightning, while two dock fires cast a red glow over the city.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Aug. 2026
Her brown leather jacket was pierced with 60 stab wounds, and her throat had been slashed nearly ear to ear.

— Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of slashed

Verb

If neither is ready, Washington’s options would be limited to veteran free agents — the pool of players waived when rosters are trimmed on Sunday — or a potential trade.

— Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Their hold on the top National League wild-card spot has been trimmed to just two games over the Philadelphia Phillies, who are riding an eight-game winning streak, though the Cubs have the season tiebreaker.

— Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of trimmed

Verb

Her brown leather jacket was pierced with 60 stab wounds, and her throat had been slashed nearly ear to ear.

— Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Investigators believe the bullet that pierced the restaurant window was fired from inside a passing vehicle on Vista Village Drive.

— Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of pierced

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“Sheared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sheared. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of sheared

verb

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