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
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
The tiny leaves are easily sheared and sculpted into any shape.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
The communications pole that was sheared in the April 2025 crash that left 19-year-old Preston Obeidin dead near Temecula.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
When money is received, the group works with wildlife managers if a location needs to be sheared, burned or bulldozed.
—Andrew Weeks, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2026
The strike on Saturday sheared the façade off several adjacent apartment blocks and shattered glass for blocks around.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 23 Mar. 2026
Footage from Israel's emergency service showed a large crater next to what appeared to be apartment buildings with outer walls sheared away.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026
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
The tiny leaves are easily sheared and sculpted into any shape.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
The communications pole that was sheared in the April 2025 crash that left 19-year-old Preston Obeidin dead near Temecula.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
When money is received, the group works with wildlife managers if a location needs to be sheared, burned or bulldozed.
—Andrew Weeks, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2026
The strike on Saturday sheared the façade off several adjacent apartment blocks and shattered glass for blocks around.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 23 Mar. 2026
Footage from Israel's emergency service showed a large crater next to what appeared to be apartment buildings with outer walls sheared away.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sheared
Verb
-
The decision to move elections to November shaved several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
-
Fermin’s second home run in as many days after going deep for the first time in 121 plate appearances briefly shaved the Padres’ deficit to 4-2 in the fifth inning.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Pink Lady apples are thinly sliced, then vacuum crisped until crunchy.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
9 June 2026
-
The longtime firefighter fell while in the water, and the tip of the foil wing sliced his neck, severing his trachea, according to initial reporting on the incident from Hawaii News Now.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
The moment came in the 73rd minute with a goal from Mauricio to cut the US advantage to 3-1.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
Simpson robbed Adell of a homer in the eighth to keep the Rays within two, and Aranda cut it to 4-3 with a two-out single off Farris before Zeferjahn finished.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
According to Ferguson, the adults were ripped out of the car as children were screaming in the backseat.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
Shayne Gostisbehere ripped a shot on goal, and after Hart made the save, Staal was first to find the puck and a clear shot right in front of the goal.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Citizen concerns over chemical exposure have temporarily clipped the wings of Munster’s mosquito-spraying regimen.—
Michelle L. Quinn,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
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Win or lose, the plays will be clipped incessantly, jammed into highlight reels or viral tweets, and B-roll of fans flooding the streets past subway stops adorned in Knicks colors and Timberlands will be plastered all over a thousand documentaries.—
Kyle Wagner,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
By pioneering reusable boosters that can land autonomously, the company slashed launch costs and ramped up its launch cadence—suddenly making low earth orbit more accessible to a broad range of customers.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
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Levin said the increase in visits was necessary because the agency slashed staffing of its oversight offices.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Around 41% of employees say their companies trimmed management layers last year, according to Korn Ferry’s survey of 15,000 professionals worldwide.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
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The strap can be trimmed for a custom fit on smaller dogs or puppies.—
Rachel Cortez,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Verb
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But another pierced the car’s windshield, grazed the steering wheel and one of Fahd’s fingers before striking his son, Sam, in the head.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
The Remarkable Life and Times of George Forster A gunshot pierced the calm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sheared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sheared. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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