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
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
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
-
Piza’s research showed that ShotSpotter alerts shaved off roughly 90 seconds from Kansas City police response time, but did not minimize gun violence or improve solve rates for cases occurring in the area where it is installed.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
12 Jan. 2026
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During his brief appearance in a Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, Nick Reiner wore brown jail garb and with his hair shaved.—
Andrew Dalton,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford sliced up defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s unit in the final two minutes.—
Mike Kaye
Updated January 11,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Grate it for a slaw, or add it thinly sliced to salads for a refreshing crunch.—
Dr. Steven Gundry,
CNBC,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Carolina cut the lead 17-14 at halftime after a 1-yard touchdown run by Hubbard and a 16-yard scramble by Young, the second-longest TD run of his career.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
This same staff cut him to make room for a waiver-wire claim before the start of the 2024 season.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sir Jimmy is obsessed with the television of his childhood, before his reality was ripped limb from limb.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Mend loose or ripped seams before cleaning to retain the coat's shape and to keep the fill from coming out.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Williams clipped Vrabel with his facemask.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Then it’s immediately clipped up and shared online.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Team engineers have been beavering away, clawing back downforce slashed in the new rule definitions for how cars need to look and behave.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Police said the 30-year-old victim was stabbed in the back and slashed in the neck.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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By the time the strike began, patrol had trimmed its ask significantly.—
Kylea Henseler,
Outside,
9 Jan. 2026
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Stocks that dominated portfolios in 2025 are now being trimmed to finance new positions elsewhere.—
Luke Fountain,
CNBC,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Whistle blasts pierced the early January chill in a now-familiar community response employed by activists in US cities to alert neighbors to the presence of immigration officers.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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Remove the foil and continue to bake until the lasagna is tender all the way through when pierced with a knife, the cheese is bubbling and the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes more.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sheared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sheared. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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