sheer

1 of 6

adjective

: unqualified, utter

sheer folly

sheer ignorance

: being free from an adulterant : pure, unmixed

: viewed or acting in dissociation from all else

in terms of sheer numbers

: marked by great and continuous steepness

: of very thin or transparent texture : diaphanous

obsolete : bright, shining

sheerly adverb

sheerness noun

sheer

2 of 6

noun (1)

: a sheer fabric

also : an article of such a fabric

sheer

3 of 6

adverb

: straight up or down without a break : perpendicularly

: in a complete manner : altogether

sheer

4 of 6

verb

ˈshir

sheered; sheering; sheers

intransitive verb

: to deviate from a course : swerve

transitive verb

: to cause to sheer

sheer

5 of 6

noun (2)

: a turn, deviation, or change in a course (as of a ship)

: the position of a ship riding to a single anchor and heading toward it

sheer

6 of 6

noun (3)

: the fore-and-aft curvature from bow to stern of a ship's deck as shown in side elevation

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English schere freed from guilt, probably alteration of skere, from Old Norse skærr pure; akin to Old English scīnan to shine

Verb

perhaps alteration of shear entry 1

Noun (3)

perhaps alteration of shear entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1568, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Noun (1)

circa 1920, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1539, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1691, in the meaning defined above

sheer 1 of 2

adjective

as in transparent

very thin and easy to see through we had to get window shades because passersby could see right through our sheer curtains

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

transparent
gauzy
translucent
diaphanous
gossamer
filmy
see-through
crystal
fragile
cobwebby
gossamery
clear
delicate
liquid
gauzelike
crystalline
limpid
flimsy
peekaboo
lucent
pellucid
unsubstantial
insubstantial
lucid
dainty
frail
colorless
uncolored

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

opaque
nebulous
smoky
misty
hazy
murky
dull
foggy
lackluster
drab
cloudy
smokey
lusterless

as in utter

having no exceptions or restrictions survivors of the earthquake told of experiencing sheer terror

Synonyms & Similar Words

utter
pure
absolute
total
unconditional
complete
simple
outright
definite
very
damn
unmitigated
damned
endless
real
perfect
unadulterated
profound
stark
downright
huge
deadly
constant
dreadful
unalloyed
categorical
thoroughgoing
thorough
consummate
extreme
perpetual
stone
out-and-out
crashing
genuine
regular
arrant
all-out
straight-out
unqualified
flat-out
rank
plumb
eternal
blank
blooming
horrible
fair
terrible
bodacious
categoric
supreme
unremitting
clean
dead
flat
veritable
extraordinary
undying
unrestricted
classic
hopeless
authentic
main
superlative
terrific
surpassing
habitual
inveterate
frightful
confirmed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

uncertain
doubtful
questionable
restricted
dubious
qualified
equivocal

as in steep

having an incline approaching the perpendicular the sheer slopes of the ravine

Synonyms & Similar Words

steep
vertical
mountainous
precipitous
abrupt
sloped
bold
perpendicular
craggy
scarped
plumb
tilted
angled
hilly
slanted
straight
tipped
heeled
hillocky
listed
inclined
cocked
canted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

easy
soft
moderate
gradual
level
gentle
smooth
horizontal
even
flat
flush
unruffled
plane
unwrinkled

sheer

2 of 2

verb

as in to deviate

to change one's course or direction the cruise ship sheered to the northwest, putting it safely out of the path of the hurricane

Synonyms & Similar Words

deviate
turn
swing
veer
turn off
detour
swerve
zigzag
wheel
diverge
tack
turn back
double (back)

as in to veer

to depart abruptly from a straight line or course the car sheered to avoid hitting the dog

Synonyms & Similar Words

veer
cut
bow
curve
circle
arch
turn
swerve
zig
sweep
skew
zag
twist
break
weave
wind
round
yaw
bend
spiral
wander
curl
slew
arc
zigzag
slue
hook
pivot
wheel
crook
loop
stray
coil
waver
about-face
deviate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

straighten

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of sheer are abrupt, precipitous, and steep. While all these words mean "having an incline approaching the perpendicular," sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse.

sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers

Although the words abrupt and sheer have much in common, abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level.

a beach with an abrupt drop-off

The meanings of precipitous and sheer largely overlap; however, precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical.

the river winds through a precipitous gorge

While in some cases nearly identical to sheer, steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult.

a steep hill

a steep dive

单词	sheer
释义	sheer 1 of 6 adjective 1 a : unqualified, utter sheer folly sheer ignorance b : being free from an adulterant : pure, unmixed c : viewed or acting in dissociation from all else in terms of sheer numbers 2 : marked by great and continuous steepness 3 : of very thin or transparent texture : diaphanous 4 obsolete : bright, shining sheerly adverb sheerness noun sheer 2 of 6 noun (1) : a sheer fabric also : an article of such a fabric sheer 3 of 6 adverb 1 : straight up or down without a break : perpendicularly 2 : in a complete manner : altogether sheer 4 of 6 verb ˈshir sheered; sheering; sheers intransitive verb : to deviate from a course : swerve transitive verb : to cause to sheer sheer 5 of 6 noun (2) 1 : a turn, deviation, or change in a course (as of a ship) 2 : the position of a ship riding to a single anchor and heading toward it sheer 6 of 6 noun (3) : the fore-and-aft curvature from bow to stern of a ship's deck as shown in side elevation Synonyms Adjective cobwebby diaphanous filmy gauzelike gauzy gossamer gossamery see-through transparent Verb detour deviate diverge swerve swing turn turn off veer wheel See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Adjective a sheer drop to the sea we had to get window shades because passersby could see right through our sheer curtains Adverb mountains rising sheer from the plains Verb the cruise ship sheered to the northwest, putting it safely out of the path of the hurricane the car sheered to avoid hitting the dog Word History Etymology Adjective Middle English schere freed from guilt, probably alteration of skere, from Old Norse skærr pure; akin to Old English scīnan to shine Verb perhaps alteration of shear entry 1 Noun (3) perhaps alteration of shear entry 2 First Known Use Adjective circa 1568, in the meaning defined at sense 4 Noun (1) circa 1920, in the meaning defined above Adverb 1599, in the meaning defined at sense 2 Verb 1539, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense Noun (2) 1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun (3) 1691, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition sheer adjective ˈshir sheerer; sheerest 1 : very thin or transparent sheer curtains 2 : complete and total : absolute sheer nonsense 3 : taken or acting apart from everything else He won through sheer determination. 4 : very steep a sheer cliff sheer 1 of 2 adjective 1 as in transparent very thin and easy to see through we had to get window shades because passersby could see right through our sheer curtains Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance transparent gauzy translucent diaphanous gossamer filmy see-through crystal fragile cobwebby gossamery clear delicate liquid gauzelike crystalline limpid flimsy peekaboo lucent pellucid unsubstantial insubstantial lucid dainty frail colorless uncolored Antonyms & Near Antonyms opaque nebulous smoky misty hazy murky dull foggy lackluster drab cloudy smokey lusterless See More 2 as in utter having no exceptions or restrictions survivors of the earthquake told of experiencing sheer terror Synonyms & Similar Words utter pure absolute total unconditional complete simple outright definite very damn unmitigated damned endless real perfect unadulterated profound stark downright huge deadly constant dreadful unalloyed categorical thoroughgoing thorough consummate extreme perpetual stone out-and-out crashing genuine regular arrant all-out straight-out unqualified flat-out rank plumb eternal blank blooming horrible fair terrible bodacious categoric supreme unremitting clean dead flat veritable extraordinary undying unrestricted classic hopeless authentic main superlative terrific surpassing habitual inveterate frightful confirmed Antonyms & Near Antonyms uncertain doubtful questionable restricted dubious qualified equivocal See More 3 as in steep having an incline approaching the perpendicular the sheer slopes of the ravine Synonyms & Similar Words steep vertical mountainous precipitous abrupt sloped bold perpendicular craggy scarped plumb tilted angled hilly slanted straight tipped heeled hillocky listed inclined cocked canted Antonyms & Near Antonyms easy soft moderate gradual level gentle smooth horizontal even flat flush unruffled plane unwrinkled See More sheer 2 of 2 verb 1 as in to deviate to change one's course or direction the cruise ship sheered to the northwest, putting it safely out of the path of the hurricane Synonyms & Similar Words deviate turn swing veer turn off detour swerve zigzag wheel diverge tack turn back double (back) 2 as in to veer to depart abruptly from a straight line or course the car sheered to avoid hitting the dog Synonyms & Similar Words veer cut bow curve circle arch turn swerve zig sweep skew zag twist break weave wind round yaw bend spiral wander curl slew arc zigzag slue hook pivot wheel crook loop stray coil waver about-face deviate Antonyms & Near Antonyms straighten Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of sheer are abrupt, precipitous, and steep. While all these words mean "having an incline approaching the perpendicular," sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse. sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers Although the words abrupt and sheer have much in common, abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level. a beach with an abrupt drop-off The meanings of precipitous and sheer largely overlap; however, precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical. the river winds through a precipitous gorge While in some cases nearly identical to sheer, steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult. a steep hill a steep dive
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sheer

adjective

noun (1)

adverb

verb

noun (2)

noun (3)

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

verb

Synonym Chooser