Word forms: comparative sheerer, superlative sheerest
1. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You can use sheer to emphasize that a state or situation is complete and does not involve or is not mixed with anything else.
[emphasis]
His music is sheer delight.
Sheer chance quite often plays an important part in sparking off an idea.
...acts of sheer desperation.
Synonyms: total, complete, absolute, utter More Synonyms of sheer
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A sheer cliff or drop is extremely steep or completely vertical.
There was a sheer drop just outside my window.
A young man plunged from a sheer rock face to his death.
Synonyms: steep, abrupt, perpendicular, precipitous More Synonyms of sheer
3. adjective
Sheer material is very thin, light, and delicate.
...sheer black tights.
Synonyms: fine, thin, transparent, see-through More Synonyms of sheer
sheer in British English1
(ʃɪə)
adjective
1.
perpendicular; very steep
a sheer cliff
2.
(of textiles) so fine as to be transparent
3. (prenominal)
absolute; unmitigated
sheer folly
4. obsolete
bright or shining
adverb
5.
steeply or perpendicularly
6.
completely or absolutely
noun
7.
any transparent fabric used for making garments
Derived forms
sheerly (ˈsheerly)
adverb
sheerness (ˈsheerness)
noun
Word origin
Old English scīr; related to Old Norse skīrr bright, Gothic skeirs clear, Middle High German schīr
sheer in British English2
(ʃɪə)
verb(foll byoff or away (from))
1.
to deviate or cause to deviate from a course
2. (intransitive)
to avoid an unpleasant person, thing, topic, etc
noun
3.
the upward sweep of the deck or bulwarks of a vessel
4. nautical
the position of a vessel relative to its mooring
Word origin
C17: perhaps variant of shear
sheer in American English1
(ʃɪr)
adjective
1.
very thin; transparent; diaphanous
said of textiles
2.
not mixed or mingled with anything else; pure
sheer ice
3.
absolute; downright; unqualified; utter
sheer persistence
4.
perpendicular or extremely steep, as the face of a cliff
adverb
5.
completely; utterly; outright
6.
perpendicularly or very steeply
noun
7.
thin, fine material, or a curtain, etc. made of it
SIMILAR WORDS: steep
Derived forms
sheerly (ˈsheerly)
adverb
sheerness (ˈsheerness)
noun
Word origin
ME schere, prob. var. of scere, free, exempt < ON skærr, bright, clear, akin to Ger schier: for IE base see shine
sheer in American English2
(ʃɪr)
verb intransitive
1.
to turn aside sharply from a course; swerve
verb transitive
2.
to cause to sheer
noun
3.
a sudden change of course; abrupt turn; swerve
4.
the oblique heading or position of a ship riding at a single bow anchor
5.
the upward curve of a ship's deck toward the bow and stern, as seen from the side
Word origin
var. of shear, prob. infl. by Du or LowG scheren, to cut, deviate, warp away
Examples of 'sheer' in a sentence
sheer
Spending a penny there is a sheer delight.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Yet the sheer scale of what we are discovering about plastic in the ocean demands a solution.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
These heading tapes look marvellous combined with sheer and plain fabrics.
Churchill, Jane (ed.) Collins Complete Books of Soft Furnishings (1993)
Was it just out of sheer cruelty or were badgers a pest then?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Sometimes you pray out of sheer desperation.
Christianity Today (2000)
We love the sheer joy of this.
The Sun (2015)
Then there is the sheer height and weight.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It is unlikely to have been sheer coincidence.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The sheer volume is so overwhelming that the police cannot get on top of it.
The Sun (2014)
That is not because there will be a coup against him but just through sheer boredom.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
You are literally peering over the sheer drop.
The Sun (2011)
Visitors walk along corridors above it as if hoisted by sheer sweetness and light.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Those in the infrastructure industry say that the sheer size of the city makes planning difficult.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Her sheer delight at having reached the end of the song without mishap was contagious.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Through the sheer force of his will he had succeeded.
Zindell, David The Broken God (1993)
There was just a sheer determination to carry on.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It was a gesture of sheer desperation.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Then we lie without a care on its remote pebble beach at the foot of a sheer rock face.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Reaching the nests often involves abseiling down sheer cliff faces and only one egg may be taken from each clutch.
The Sun (2014)
Sheer tights are becoming a viable option on summer days that aren't very summery.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
sheer
British English: sheer /ʃɪə/ ADJECTIVE
You can use sheer to emphasize that a state or situation is complete and does not involve anything else.
...acts of sheer desperation.
American English: sheer
Arabic: مُجَرَّد
Brazilian Portuguese: completo
Chinese: 全然的
Croatian: potpun
Czech: absolutní
Danish: ren
Dutch: doorzichtig
European Spanish: puro mero
Finnish: pelkkä
French: pur
German: rein
Greek: αμιγής
Italian: puro
Japanese: 全くの
Korean: 완전한
Norwegian: ren absolutt
Polish: czysty
European Portuguese: completo
Romanian: pur
Russian: абсолютный
Latin American Spanish: puro
Swedish: skir
Thai: เต็มที่
Turkish: tam
Ukrainian: справжній
Vietnamese: hoàn toàn
All related terms of 'sheer'
sheer joy
Joy is a feeling of great happiness.
plank-sheer
a plank or timber covering the upper ends of the frames of a wooden vessel
sheer greed
Greed is the desire to have more of something, such as food or money, than is necessary or fair .
sheer luck
Luck or good luck is success or good things that happen to you, that do not come from your own abilities or efforts .
sheer plan
a diagrammatic fore-and-aft elevation of the hull of a vessel, showing bow and buttock lines, stations, water lines, diagonals , decks , bulwarks , etc
sheer speed
The speed of something is the rate at which it moves or travels.
sheer beauty
Beauty is the state or quality of being beautiful .
sheer boredom
Boredom is the state of being bored .
sheer delight
Delight is a feeling of very great pleasure .
sheer number
You use number with words such as 'large' or 'small' to say approximately how many things or people there are.
sheer terror
Terror is very great fear.
sheer variety
If something has variety , it consists of things which are different from each other.
sheer audacity
Audacity is audacious behaviour.
sheer pleasure
If something gives you pleasure , you get a feeling of happiness, satisfaction , or enjoyment from it.
sheer willpower
Willpower is a very strong determination to do something.
sheer coincidence
A coincidence is when two or more similar or related events occur at the same time by chance and without any planning .
sheer excitement
You use excitement to refer to the state of being excited , or to something that excites you.
sheer exhaustion
Exhaustion is the state of being so tired that you have no energy left.
sheer determination
Determination is the quality that you show when you have decided to do something and you will not let anything stop you.
Chinese translation of 'sheer'
sheer
(ʃɪəʳ)
adj
[joy, delight, beauty]纯(純)粹的 (chúncuì de)
[determination, brilliance]绝(絕)对(對)的 (juéduì de)
[terror, desperation]彻(徹)底的 (chèdǐ de)
[size, scale, volume]巨大的 (jùdà de)
(= steep)[cliff, drop]陡峭的 (dǒuqiào de)
(= thin) 纤(纖)薄的 (xiānbó de)
by sheer chance纯(純)属(屬)偶然 (chún shǔ ǒurán)
it was sheer luck这(這)纯(純)粹是运(運)气(氣) (zhè chúncuì shì yùnqi)
1 (adjective)
Definition
absolute
acts of sheer desperation
Synonyms
total
The car was in a total mess.
I mean I'm not a total idiot.
complete
He made me look like a complete idiot.
absolute
A sick person needs to have absolute trust in a doctor.
utter
A look of utter confusion swept across his handsome face.
rank
He accused his rival of rank hypocrisy.
pure
The old man turned to give her a look of pure surprise.
downright (derogatory)
downright bad manners
unqualified
The event was an unqualified success.
out-and-out
You're an out-and-out liar.
unadulterated
It was pure, unadulterated hell.
unmitigated
A senior police officer had called him an unmitigated liar.
thoroughgoing
unalloyed
arrant (derogatory)
That's the most arrant nonsense I've ever heard.
Opposites
moderate
2 (adjective)
Definition
perpendicular
There was a sheer drop just outside my window.
Synonyms
steep
a narrow, steep-sided valley
abrupt
narrow valleys and abrupt hillsides
perpendicular
a narrow, exposed beach and perpendicular cliffs
precipitous
a steep, precipitous cliff
Opposites
gentle
,
gradual
,
horizontal
,
sloping
,
slanting
3 (adjective)
Definition
(of textiles) light, delicate, and see-through
sheer black tights
Synonyms
fine
Her suit was of a pale grey fine material.
thin
Her gown was thin and she shivered from the cold.
transparent
a sheet of transparent coloured plastic
see-through
a see-through curtain
gossamer
daring gossamer dresses of sheer black lace
diaphanous
gauzy
thin, gauzy curtains, stirred by the breeze
Opposites
heavy
,
thick
,
coarse
,
opaque
,
impenetrable
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abrupt
narrow valleys and abrupt hillsides
Synonyms
steep,
sharp,
sheer,
sudden,
precipitous
in the sense of absolute
Definition
total and complete
A sick person needs to have absolute trust in a doctor.
Synonyms
complete,
total,
perfect,
entire,
pure,
sheer,
utter,
outright,
thorough,
downright,
consummate,
unqualified,
full-on (informal),
out-and-out,
unadulterated,
unmitigated,
dyed-in-the-wool,
thoroughgoing,
unalloyed,
unmixed,
arrant (derogatory),
deep-dyed
in the sense of arrant
Definition
utter or downright
That's the most arrant nonsense I've ever heard.
Synonyms
total,
complete,
extreme,
absolute,
gross,
notorious,
utter,
outright,
thorough,
infamous,
rank,
blatant,
monstrous,
vile,
downright,
atrocious,
out-and-out,
flagrant,
egregious,
unmitigated,
undisguised,
thoroughgoing,
deep-dyed
Synonyms of 'sheer'
sheer
Explore 'sheer' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of complete
Definition
perfect in quality or kind
He made me look like a complete idiot.
Synonyms
total,
perfect,
absolute,
utter,
outright,
thorough,
consummate,
out-and-out,
unmitigated,
dyed-in-the-wool,
thoroughgoing,
deep-dyed
in the sense of downright
Definition
absolute
downright bad manners
Synonyms
complete,
absolute,
utter,
total,
positive (informal),
clear,
plain,
simple,
explicit,
outright,
blatant,
unequivocal,
unqualified,
out-and-out,
categorical,
undisguised,
thoroughgoing,
arrant,
deep-dyed
in the sense of gauzy
thin, gauzy curtains, stirred by the breeze
Synonyms
delicate,
light,
thin,
sheer,
transparent,
see-through,
flimsy,
translucent,
insubstantial,
gossamer,
diaphanous,
filmy
in the sense of gossamer
daring gossamer dresses of sheer black lace
Synonyms
delicate,
light,
fine,
thin,
sheer,
transparent,
airy,
flimsy,
silky,
diaphanous,
gauzy
in the sense of out-and-out
Definition
absolute
You're an out-and-out liar.
Synonyms
absolute,
complete,
total,
perfect,
sheer,
utter,
outright,
thorough,
downright,
consummate,
unqualified,
unmitigated,
dyed-in-the-wool,
thoroughgoing,
unalloyed,
arrant,
deep-dyed
in the sense of perpendicular
a narrow, exposed beach and perpendicular cliffs
Synonyms
steep,
sheer,
precipitous,
vertiginous
in the sense of precipitous
Definition
very steep
a steep, precipitous cliff
Synonyms
sheer,
high,
steep,
dizzy,
abrupt,
perpendicular,
falling sharply
in the sense of pure
Definition
complete
The old man turned to give her a look of pure surprise.
Synonyms
complete,
total,
perfect,
absolute,
mere,
sheer,
patent,
utter,
outright,
thorough,
downright,
palpable,
unqualified,
out-and-out,
unmitigated
in the sense of rank
He accused his rival of rank hypocrisy.
Synonyms
absolute,
complete,
total,
gross,
sheer,
excessive,
utter,
glaring,
thorough,
extravagant,
rampant,
blatant,
downright,
flagrant,
egregious,
unmitigated,
undisguised,
arrant
in the sense of see-through
Definition
(of clothing) made of thin cloth so that the wearer's body or underclothes are visible
a see-through curtain
Synonyms
transparent,
fine,
thin,
sheer,
flimsy,
translucent,
gossamer,
diaphanous,
gauzy,
filmy
Additional synonyms
in the sense of thin
Definition
not dense
Her gown was thin and she shivered from the cold.
Synonyms
fine,
delicate,
flimsy,
sheer,
transparent,
see-through,
translucent,
skimpy,
gossamer,
diaphanous,
filmy,
unsubstantial
in the sense of transparent
Definition
able to be seen through
a sheet of transparent coloured plastic
Synonyms
clear,
sheer,
see-through,
lucid,
translucent,
crystal clear,
crystalline,
limpid,
lucent,
diaphanous,
gauzy,
filmy,
pellucid,
transpicuous
in the sense of unadulterated
Definition
(of an emotion) not mixed with anything else
It was pure, unadulterated hell.
Synonyms
sheer,
complete,
total,
pure,
absolute,
utter,
downright,
unqualified,
out-and-out,
unmitigated,
thoroughgoing,
unalloyed
in the sense of unmitigated
Definition
total and complete
A senior police officer had called him an unmitigated liar.
Synonyms
complete,
absolute,
utter,
perfect,
rank,
sheer,
total,
outright,
thorough,
downright (derogatory),
consummate,
out-and-out,
thoroughgoing,
arrant (derogatory),
deep-dyed (derogatory)
in the sense of unqualified
Definition
having no conditions or limitations
The event was an unqualified success.
Synonyms
unconditional,
complete,
total,
absolute,
utter,
outright,
thorough,
downright (derogatory),
consummate,
unrestricted,
out-and-out,
categorical,
unmitigated,
unreserved,
thoroughgoing,
without reservation,
arrant (derogatory),
deep-dyed (derogatory)
in the sense of utter
Definition
total or absolute
A look of utter confusion swept across his handsome face.