sheared; sheared or shorn
ˈshȯrn 
; shearing
; shearing
1
a
: to cut off the hair from
b
: to cut or clip (hair, wool, etc.) from someone or something
also
: to cut something from
shear a lawn
c
chiefly Scotland
: to reap with a sickle
d
: to cut or trim with shears or a similar instrument
2
: to cut with something sharp
3
: to deprive of something as if by cutting
lives shorn of any hope—
M. W. Browne
M. W. Browne4
a
: to subject to a shear force
b
: to cause (something, such as a rock mass) to move along the plane of contact
1
: to cut through something with or as if with a sharp instrument
2
chiefly Scotland
: to reap crops with a sickle
3
: to become divided under the action of a shear
shearer
noun
1
a(1)
: a cutting implement similar or identical to a pair of scissors but typically larger
—usually used in plural
(2)
: one blade of a pair of shears
b
: any of various cutting tools or machines operating by the action of opposed cutting edges of metal
—usually used in plural
c(1)
: something resembling a shear or a pair of shears
(2)
: a hoisting apparatus consisting of two or sometimes more upright spars fastened together at their upper ends and having tackle for masting or dismasting ships or lifting heavy loads (such as guns)
—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
2
chiefly British
: the action or process or an instance of shearing
—used in combination to indicate the approximate age of sheep in terms of shearings undergone
3
a
: internal force tangential to the section on which it acts
called also shearing force
b
: an action or stress resulting from applied forces that causes or tends to cause two contiguous parts of a body to slide relatively to each other in a direction parallel to their plane of contact
Synonyms
Examples of shear in a Sentence
Verb
The farmers sheared the sheep.
The farmers sheared the wool from the sheep.
Recent Examples on the Web
Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
Just in the last month, Nicola Peltz-Beckham (sporting a chop reminiscent of her mother-in-law's iconic Posh Spice chop), Selena Gomez, and Beyoncé have sheared up and joined the short hair club.
—Konstanze Popp, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2024
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
Garden shears: Smaller shears for pruning green growth on hedges or small plant stems.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shear 
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.
Verb
Scientists predict that Triton might one day wander too close and end up becoming gravitationally sheared into fragments.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
Just in the last month, Nicola Peltz-Beckham (sporting a chop reminiscent of her mother-in-law's iconic Posh Spice chop), Selena Gomez, and Beyoncé have sheared up and joined the short hair club.
—Konstanze Popp, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2024
Noun
Powerful shear in the upper atmosphere can effectively rip a hurricane apart by dispersing warm air above the eye and allowing cooler, less energetic air to flow in.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
Garden shears: Smaller shears for pruning green growth on hedges or small plant stems.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shear
Articles Related to shear
Dictionary Entries Near shear
Cite this Entry
“Shear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shear. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shear
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a cutting tool similar or identical to a pair of scissors but typically larger
—usually used in plural
b
: any of various cutting tools or machines operating by the action of opposed cutting edges of metal
—usually used in plural
2
: an action or force that causes or tends to cause two parts of a body to slide on each other in a direction parallel to their plane of contact
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share