Synonyms of shear

shear

verb

ˈshir 

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

• shave
• cut
• trim
• clip
• mow
• crop
• snip
• bob
• prune
• cut back
• dock
• pare
• lop (off)
• nip
• poll
• pinch
• whittle
• skive
• shorten
• stump
• curtail
• manicure

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extend
• elongate
• lengthen

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

• slit
• slice
• rip
• slash
• cut
• pierce
• bruise
• stab
• split
• incise
• gash
• tear
• chop
• cleave
• sever
• crosscut
• scissor
• butcher
• saw
• rend
• carve
• chip
• notch
• dissect
• section
• hacksaw
• chisel
• hack
• lacerate
• rive
• cut off
• mince
• haggle
• mangle
• dice
• anatomize
• amputate

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shear

In that 1964 work, Ono sat still on a stage, a pair of scissors beside her, as audience members took turns shearing her clothing. — Julie L. Belcove, Architectural Digest, 12 June 2026

It can be sheared into a formal hedge or shaped into a ball. — Daniel Scott, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 June 2026

Most campanulas get sheared back at some point during the summer to clean up ugly or damaged foliage and encourage another flush of blooms. — 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