1
as in to shave
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to slit
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 shear
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
That increases a rising air motion that tends to drop shearing winds over the Atlantic that can disrupt the structure of tropical cyclones.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 25 Mar. 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
See All Example Sentences for shear
Andrew Weeks, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2026
That increases a rising air motion that tends to drop shearing winds over the Atlantic that can disrupt the structure of tropical cyclones.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 25 Mar. 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
See All Example Sentences for shear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shear
Verb
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Today, Sodebo’s current time is almost half that, yet there is more to be shaved off the record, which might even come down to as little as 30 days.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
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Back in the day, scandals typically were point-shaving schemes that involved shadowy figures bribing athletes.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Nicholson repeatedly stabbed her and slit her throat before stuffing her into a large plastic bin with her arms and legs sticking out, Porter said.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
21 Mar. 2026
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If it’s baked in a loaf pan, go ahead and slit the top of the batter before baking.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The shutdown has had a massive impact on the finances of Iranians whose businesses rely on internet access and has also effectively cut the people off from the outside world.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
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After being cut from the high school team each of his first three years, Sloane piled on some muscle, increased the velocity on his fastball and drew college interest last summer.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The organization also pointed to its guidelines for preventing Listeria contamination in ready-to-eat foods prepared or sliced in retail delis.—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
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Arrange 1 avocado, thinly sliced, and ½ mango, thinly sliced, on top, then spoon tuna mixture with dressing over.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Brian Kemp signs 34 bills, trimming his backlog with days left to act on this year’s legislation.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
6 May 2026
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Ridestore subjects materials to failure testing during both development and production, evaluating bond strength in laminated membranes, water-repellency performance and trim durability before materials move into manufacturing.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Political attack ads abound ahead of the June 2 statewide direct primary election, with competing candidates finding new, creative ways to rip each other apart over their records on immigration, corruption or cashing in on the fossil fuel industry.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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The mega-tsunami wreaked havoc across the landscape, stripping forests down to bare rock, ripping trees out by their roots and hurling boulders.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The attack was limited by the fact that the revolver only held 5 bullets and had to be reloaded one bullet at a time, as opposed to assault rifles that often have large detachable magazines that can be clipped in and out rapidly.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
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The lab didn't take DNA samples from each fish, which can be done by clipping off a tiny bit of one fin.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Lufthansa, one of the biggest carriers in Europe, slashed 20,000 short-haul flights through October due in part to fuel costs.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
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Earlier in the film, Kenobi slashes off the arm of a creature who was known then as Walrus Man and is known now as Ponda Baba.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shear. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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