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
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Recent Examples of sheared
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sheared
Verb
-
Stone famously shaved off all of her hair in 2024 for her role in Bugonia.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
21 May 2026
-
One French director, Xavier Gens, told Reuters here that AI tools could have cut the visual effects budget of his Netflix hit Under Paris in half and shaved eight months off the schedule.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Steak-umm Sliced Steaks Chopped and thinly sliced, Steak-umm Sliced Steaks make getting dinner together quicker than ever.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
-
Pinch-hitter Trent Grisham walked and Chisholm sliced a slider down the left-field line.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The rooms Rooms are decorated in a cool, muted Pacific Northwest palette—soft shades, brass accents, and heavy drapes that cut the light just right.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 May 2026
-
Jake and Violet finally get married — and Station 42 gets to cut loose on the dance floor.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, male athletes get ripped to shreds 24/7 on television, radio, podcasts and social media without anyone questioning whether the existence of criticism itself is harmful to the sport.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
Ensure the item is in working condition and not damaged, broken, or ripped.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
In multiple cases, other road users struck the autonomous vehicle from behind or clipped it while passing.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
-
Posts can be clipped out of context or interpreted as official positions.—
Adam Goodcoff,
STAT,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Cole was tested immediately, as speedy Rays leadoff man Chandler Simpson slashed a soft single on the game’s second pitch.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2026
-
With San Marcos second baseman Nolan Andrews crashing, Foss skipped the bunt and slashed a single to center.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Saudi Arabia and the UAE trimmed their holdings of US Treasurys in March by nearly $17 billion, as the Iran conflict hit crude exports, their key source of dollar income.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
19 May 2026
-
Some limbs were trimmed from the large trees that provide shade.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Something must have pierced his chest wall.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
-
But the silence is pierced by the crushing of rock.—
Julie Watson,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sheared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sheared. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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