1
as in to shave
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 to slit
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
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.
Recent Examples of shear
Sheep are shearing the land under solar panels to benefit two industries
As solar power’s land needs grow, more ranchers are turning to agrivoltaics.
—
Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Mar. 2025
Megalodon likely fed with immense force, using its powerful jaws to shear through its prey’s thick bones and flesh.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Commonly sheared to create a formal hedge or neatly clipped into a topiary, Japanese holly is a unique, fast-growing holly.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Avoid shearing the plants back to the same size each year.
—Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shear
Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Mar. 2025
Megalodon likely fed with immense force, using its powerful jaws to shear through its prey’s thick bones and flesh.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Commonly sheared to create a formal hedge or neatly clipped into a topiary, Japanese holly is a unique, fast-growing holly.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Avoid shearing the plants back to the same size each year.
—Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shear
Verb
-
Tommaso Ciampa has recently undergone a noticeable change in appearance by shaving off his trademark beard.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
-
With cord-cutting continuing to shave the traditional pay-TV bundle by millions of subscribers a year, however, FAST has become an increasingly vibrant part of the TV ecosystem.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Rolling the pastry around the carrots and sealing the ends creates the traditional Wellington shape; decorative slits in the dough add visual interest and allow steam to escape while the log cooks.—
Kendra Vaculin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Then, fearing he'd be blamed, Tripp stole a knife from the office of pastry chef Didier Gotthard (Bronson Pinchot) and used it to slit A.B.'s wrists in order to make his death look more like a suicide.—
Megan McCluskey,
TIME,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The House voted to scale back the city’s spending to 2024 levels in March, sparking a crisis as Bowser scrambled to find how to cut $1.1 billion.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Those scenes were ultimately cut for space before the show ever started production, so Mazin resurrected the idea for Season 2.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Three men wearing ski masks, dark clothing and gloves had used power tools to slice open a hole in the museum’s door, crawl in and smash glass cabinets to steal the white pomegranate vase, as well as a porcelain bowl and doucai-style wine cup, also from the imperial Ming dynasty.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Expect classic Swiss mountain fare, including an array of sausages, sliced veal Zurich-style in a cream sauce with mushrooms, homemade pâtés, terrines pates, and beef tartare.—
Everett Potter,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
If that’s the case, then trimming current expenses to increase savings should accompany the move to a more conservative portfolio.—
Bill Conerly,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Its snug cabin is beautifully trimmed in high-quality materials, and features wireless phone charging, Apple CarPlay connectivity, and a premium Bowers & Wilkins audio system.—
Tim Pitt,
Robb Report,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The bomb explodes at 9:02 a.m., ripping to ruins the nine-story structure.—
Todd Pendleton,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The thought of being ripped from her home, without time to pack up her belongings or say goodbye to friends, shakes her to the core.—
Rebecca Plevin,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Two American Airlines planes clipped wings at Reagan National Airport, the FAA said.—
7News WJLA (Washington),
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Washington — Several members of Congress were on a plane that was sitting on the tarmac waiting to leave Washington on Thursday when it was clipped by another aircraft.—
Kathryn Krupnik,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The Trump administration wants to significantly cut NASA’s budget next year, slashing science research funding in half, a reduction that would halt the launch of a high-tech space telescope and curtail other planetary exploration missions.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Nimmo is slashing mere .202/.253/.381 this season, but Sunday’s heroics could be a sign of changing fortune.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shear. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share