shears

verb

present tense third-person singular of shear
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

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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
  1. shaves
  2. slices
  3. cuts
  4. rips
  5. clips
  6. slashes
  7. trims
  8. snips
Verb
  • Its ceramic blades easily tackle coarse hair and its waterproof design makes in-shower shaves a breeze.
    — Sara Coughlin, Allure, 5 July 2026
  • 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.
    — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 June 2026
Definition of shaves
Verb
  • That line slices the plane into two halves, one of which will contain two corners of the outer triangle (the bottom half in the figure below).
    — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
  • You may already be accustomed to changing channels frequently since the NFL eagerly slices up its schedule across multiple networks.
    — Jason Cohen, PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of slices
Verb
  • The camera cuts intermittently to a speculative montage of her inner experience.
    — Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The show then cuts, ending the first episode in a cliffhanger.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of cuts
Verb
  • The ambitious staging literally rips the fourth wall off a two-story house, giving a voyeuristic view into the kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom.
    — William Earl, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Pouring them straight into a trash bag could lead to a smelly mess if the bag rips and leaks.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of rips
Verb
  • All of my essentials are packed in my Stowaway, which clips into my weekender as a bag organizer, and can clip out to be worn on its own as a crossbody when walking around during the day or as a clutch when going out in the evening.
    — Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 16 July 2026
  • This compact tote folds into a small pouch that clips directly onto your keys and expands into a functional bag when needed.
    — Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026
Definition of clips
Verb
  • Applying this rule to back-to-school clothes, summer swimwear, and winter boots takes minimal extra effort (plus a little storage space) and slashes kid clothing budgets in half.
    — Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 31 July 2026
  • Continue reading … DOLLAR DIPLOMACY — Taco Bell slashes prices on lettuce-free favorites to win back wary customers.
    — , FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of slashes
Verb
  • Sovereign-adjacent platforms in Australia, private credit desks, insurance capital, and trading firms are now funding compute demand that exists whether or not any single hyperscaler trims its budget.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Your steady focus turns play into practice, while your patience trims perfectionism and lets authentic joy take the stage.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of trims
Verb
  • Benson snips off a portion of Kaylee’s hair in one shot, followed by a snap of the musician wrapping his arms around his older sister in a comforting hug.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
  • Grandmother takes a small pair of scissors from her bag and snips a swatch from the green cloth, then slips it into her pocket.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Mar. 2026
Definition of snips
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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shearing
shears
sheath
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Cite this Entry

“Shears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shears. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shears

Nglish: Translation of shears for Spanish Speakers

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