1
as in shaving
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 slicing
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
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Recent Examples of shearing
Plus, shearing the plants will encourage them to rebloom.
—
Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
Prune branches selectively rather than shearing indiscriminately.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2026
Sophomore Joe Teter enjoyed the honor of shearing Dunckel’s head.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
The video shows the Amazon drone shearing the wire line.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2025
The film reunited him with Morrison, who played the head of a sheep-shearing family business in northeastern New Zealand in the 1950s.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025
Moreover, plastic pulverization produces fine solids; keeping the enzyme in contact with all surfaces without shearing it to inactivity is an active research topic.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
Prune branches selectively rather than shearing indiscriminately.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2026
Sophomore Joe Teter enjoyed the honor of shearing Dunckel’s head.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
The video shows the Amazon drone shearing the wire line.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2025
The film reunited him with Morrison, who played the head of a sheep-shearing family business in northeastern New Zealand in the 1950s.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025
Moreover, plastic pulverization produces fine solids; keeping the enzyme in contact with all surfaces without shearing it to inactivity is an active research topic.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shearing
Verb
-
After years of trying out different hairstyles, Suggs finally went all in on shaving it all off.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Soon, Melling’s Colin is obeying his lover’s every order, including by shaving himself bald and sleeping like a dog on the floor.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Begin by slicing Yukon golds with a mandoline to achieve thin, perfectly even slices, and then simmer the potatoes in milk before bathing them in the rich, simple combination of heavy cream, butter, and Gruyère cheese.—
Jennifer Anderson,
Martha Stewart,
17 Feb. 2026
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Its flatter blade profile also gives it a longer slicing range.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That deal, which required Iran to limit its nuclear program by, among other things, cutting enrichment levels and reducing centrifuges, took effect in 2016 and was due to expire 10 years after it was adopted.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Start by cutting the lawn very low and raking the planting area to remove the clippings, dead grass, and other debris.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When Rochelle Luna, 18, arrived at the house hours later, Djerf bound, gagged and raped her before stabbing her and slitting her throat, court records said.—
Elena Santa Cruz,
AZCentral.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But these rotations can be brutal, and trimming positions gives us the flexibility and the cash to step back in and repurchase shares at more attractive levels in the future.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The change will be implemented gradually, trimming two hours per year beginning in 2027 and reaching a 40-hour work week in 2030.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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So, instead of ripping into Matthews for what happened overseas, the fans gave their veteran captain a round of applause before play resumed.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Mar. 2026
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Last year, the majority in Washington, DC voted to slash Medicaid and SNAP by $1 trillion, ripping health care and food away from millions of our neighbors, family, and friends.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As tariffs provoke backlash and global trade uncertainty, markets for Texas exports have been curtailed, clipping the wings of our economy.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Mulching grass clipping and leaves through your mower will return organic matter to your lawn.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Makar went to the penalty box for slashing, and the Wild capitalized on the man-advantage when Eriksson Ek popped in the rebound of a Boldy shot.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The Council was able to avoid layoffs, balancing its billion dollar budgets by slashing vacant positions and hiking fees for parking and other programs, in those years.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shearing. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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