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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The decision to move elections to November shaves several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026 -
For beard trims and shaves, go to Pisterzi in Soho.—
The Editors,
Curbed,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One painting, an earlier piece from 2009, cuts to this question.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
24 May 2026
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Continue reading … SKY SWARMS — Army cuts helicopters, pushes ‘Amazon for war’ as drone combat reshapes military.—
,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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The map slices through Kansas City, splitting the city’s voters across three Republican-leaning districts.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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Toast 2–4 slices bread of choice (such as country-style sourdough or multigrain).—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The device clips magnetically to the rear of any MagSafe-compatible smartphone or case.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
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Joe Rodon clips a pass over the top of the Brentford defence for Calvert-Lewin to contest.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pollinator-friendly plants are clustered across the large property, a hedge against the next storm that rips away the canopy.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
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Over eight episodes, the first season of Nemesis rips through more fiery events and story than most shows could in a multi-year run.—
Derek Lawrence,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The 2026 model, with only minor changes from 2025, is available in Premiere, Reserve and Black Label trims.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
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The third round of voting trims the field to four restaurants.—
Susan Stapleton,
Des Moines Register,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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SpaceX's Starlink is rolling out a new deal that slashes the monthly price of the satellite internet service in the US by $21.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
5 May 2026
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Earlier in the film, Kenobi slashes off the arm of a creature who was known then as Walrus Man and is known now as Ponda Baba.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
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.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
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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.—
Taran Dugal,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Shears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shears. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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