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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shearing
Verb
-
Early on the morning of March 16th, Nayib Bukele, the President of El Salvador, posted video footage of Salvadoran agents marching the Venezuelan men into prison and shaving their heads.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025 -
One analyst suggested that shaving a percentage point off the state’s income tax could cut available revenues by roughly $5 billion.—
State House News Service,
Boston Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Let stand until glaze firms up, about 15 minutes, before slicing and serving.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2025
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The line will run along the Interstate 15 corridor, slicing through the San Bernardino Mountains and across the desert.—
Ben Jones,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Spend some time worrying about that thing that’s actually quite meaningless, getting mad at that person cutting me off in traffic?—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Marinaccio is cutting it Marinaccio made his big-league debut with the Yankees in 2022 and between June and July of that did not allow a hit to 57 consecutive batters.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
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, the brief said.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The junior launched himself through a pile for a two-yard touchdown rush, trimming the deficit to 35-34.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
-
With revisions earlier this year mostly trimming prior readings, more downward revisions could be due.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Vaccaro accused Hill of throwing her to the ground, ripping her hair out, twisting body parts, spitting on her and shoving a marijuana cigarette in her face, according to the TMZ article.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
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The Camp Fire, California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfire, is a few hours off from igniting and ripping through the town of Paradise and its neighbors, but the stage is set.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Its audio comes through clean and detail-rich, with noise cancelling and automatic limiting to handle background chaos without clipping your voice.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
9 Sep. 2025
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Crews will complete work on the Riverfront Extension Project that requires a shutdown, like clipping wires and placing the overhead guide wire between Second and Third streets.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The luxury furniture retailer fell roughly 8% in premarket trading after slashing its annual revenue outlook.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
12 Sep. 2025
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Despite the shock loss, Milei has vowed no changes to his divisive agenda, which has reshaped Argentina’s economy, slashing inflation while boosting growth.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Shearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shearing. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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