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
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
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
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
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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During their journey, their time for climbing Colorado’s 53 14ers—a mere 33 days—shaved more than 21 days from the previous speed record.—
Outside,
Outside,
25 Sep. 2025
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The fallout, which sparked criticisms that Disney was caving on free-speech issues and drew some threats from Hollywood talent to stop working with the company, shaved more than $4 billion off its market value last week.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Rather than simply folding them in whole or sliced in half, Kardea recommends roasting red grapes.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Sogard sliced a base hit to center and took advantage of Judge’s arm, speeding to second on what should have been a single.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Vance said one portion of Democrats are making unreasonable demands to restore more than $1 trillion over the next decade in healthcare spending that was cut earlier this year.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Training, professional development, and the Safe Cities Partnership are among the areas cut.—
Paul Egan,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the fourth quarter, Seguin’s defense forced another turnover when Micah Bolden ripped the ball away from a Wolves player and returned it to midfield.—
Jordan Neal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Oct. 2025
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Its approach to comedy is ripped straight from the world of musical cast parties and improv shows, with every performer doing their best to turn every line into a GIF-able burst of wholesome self-deprecation.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An eyewitness tells 12 News that the drones clipped the crane's cable and plummeted to the ground.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The moment — delivered by Steinfeld’s character Mary on a humid New Orleans train platform — was clipped, memed and replayed across TikTok, igniting think pieces and parodies alike.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The jacket was slashed open by a knife tear in the left front midsection.—
Keith Sharon,
Nashville Tennessean,
7 Oct. 2025
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And for houses priced from the high $200,000s, Meritage Homes has slashed prices by as much as $75,000 on move-in ready houses.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The logo, hands, indexes, and rotor are trimmed in British racing green—the color of the legendary car brand.—
Carol Besler,
Robb Report,
3 Oct. 2025
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Her dark brown bob was freshly trimmed and curled toward her face; the top brushed and styled over the left side of her head.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sheared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sheared. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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