1
as in shaves
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 slits
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 shears
Verb
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Zillow says that a pale pink bathroom could lose you up to $6,013, while a pale pink kitchen shaves an extra $4,201 off potential buyers' offers.
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The decision to move elections to November shaves several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.
Verb
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Driven by revenge and madness, Sweeney Todd slices necks he is meant to just shave.
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Her foot slices down the side of the ball.
Verb
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When a company cuts its dividend, the stock tanks—that’s the bad scenario.
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There are a few loadouts available at HP's site, but the best overall deal is on this model, which cuts a full 50% off.
Verb
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During his tour, a solar flare causes an electromagnetic disturbance that rips through the systems of civilization and into the data center.
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Bell rips Bargatze for attending the UFC Freedom 250 fights at Donald Trump‘s White House earlier this month.
Verb
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This compact tote folds into a small pouch that clips directly onto your keys and expands into a functional bag when needed.
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Joe Rodon clips a pass over the top of the Brentford defence for Calvert-Lewin to contest.
Verb
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Smiley slashes Mari across the belly and Fatima lets out a monstrous shriek.
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This comes as the company reportedly slashes product prices and prepares for a potential IPO, amid accusations from Florida's AG regarding unsafe product releases.
Verb
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Spink’s optimism about the growth opportunities in Saudi Arabia comes even as the kingdom trims capital expenditure, cuts some projects, and limits spending on foreign consultants.
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Coppola's preferred version of the film, Final Cut, removes or trims a handful of sequences, including the exchange between Willard (Martin Sheen) and the Playboy Playmates, and Kurtz (Marlon Brando) reading from TIME magazine.
Verb
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Grandmother takes a small pair of scissors from her bag and snips a swatch from the green cloth, then slips it into her pocket.
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Using scissors, Boesch, who trained at the Rhode Island School of Design, typically snips cards into pieces and reassembles them into depictions of such subjects as Lady Liberty, Yankee Stadium, Andy Warhol, Derek Jeter, and Pizza Rat.
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Cite this Entry
“Shears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shears. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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