Sheer — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun adverb verb /ˈshir/

Meaning & Definition of Sheer

Sheer (adjective)

  1. unqualified, utter
  2. being free from an adulterant, pure, unmixed
  3. viewed or acting in dissociation from all else

Sheer (noun)

  1. a sheer fabric; also, an article of such a fabric
  2. a turn, deviation, or change in a course (as of a ship)
  3. the position of a ship riding to a single anchor and heading toward it
  4. the fore-and-aft curvature from bow to stern of a ship's deck as shown in side elevation

Sheer (adverb)

  1. straight up or down without a break, perpendicularly
  2. in a complete manner, altogether

Sheer (verb)

  1. to deviate from a course, swerve
  2. to cause to sheer

Sheer (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. very thin and easy to see through

    "we had to get window shades because passersby could see right through our sheer curtains"

    similar: cobwebby, diaphanous, filmy, gauzelike, gauzy, gossamer, gossamery, see-through, transparent
    related: peekaboo, clear, crystal, crystalline, limpid, liquid, lucent, pellucid, lucid, translucent, dainty, delicate, flimsy, fragile, frail, insubstantial, unsubstantial, colorless, uncolored
    near: opaque, cloudy, foggy, hazy, misty, murky, nebulous, smoky, drab, dull, lackluster, lusterless

  2. having no exceptions or restrictions

    "survivors of the earthquake told of experiencing sheer terror"

    similar: absolute, all-out, arrant, blank, blooming (chiefly British), bodacious (Southern & Midland), categorical, clean, complete, consummate, crashing, damn, damned, dead, deadly, definite, downright, dreadful, fair, flat, flat-out, out-and-out, outright, perfect, plumb, profound, pure, rank, regular, simple, stark, stone, straight-out, thorough, thoroughgoing, total, unadulterated, unalloyed, unconditional, unmitigated, unqualified, utter, very
    related: authentic, classic, genuine, real, veritable, constant, endless, eternal, perpetual, undying, unremitting, extreme, unrestricted, confirmed, habitual, hopeless, inveterate, extraordinary, frightful, horrible, huge, main, superlative, supreme, surpassing, terrible, terrific
    near: doubtful, dubious, equivocal, qualified, questionable, restricted, uncertain

  3. having an incline approaching the perpendicular

    "the sheer slopes of the ravine"

    similar: abrupt, bold, precipitous, steep
    related: perpendicular, plumb, straight, vertical, craggy, hillocky, hilly, mountainous, scarped, angled, canted, cocked, heeled, inclined, listed, slanted, sloped, tilted, tipped
    opposite: easy
    near: gentle, gradual, moderate, soft, even, flat, flush, horizontal, level, plane, smooth, unruffled, unwrinkled

Sheer (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to change one's course or direction

    "the cruise ship sheered to the northwest, putting it safely out of the path of the hurricane"

    similar: detour, deviate, diverge, swerve, swing, turn, turn off, veer, wheel
    related: tack, zigzag, double (back), turn back

  2. to depart abruptly from a straight line or course

    "the car sheered to avoid hitting the dog"

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

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Sheer

The most common words with a similar meaning to Sheer:

Chiefly British: blooming
Southern & Midland: bodacious
cobwebby, diaphanous, filmy, gauzelike, gauzy, gossamer, gossamery, see-through, transparent, absolute, all-out, arrant, blank, categorical, clean, complete, consummate, crashing, damn, damned, dead, deadly, definite, downright, dreadful, fair, flat, flat-out, out-and-out, outright, perfect, plumb, profound, pure, rank, regular, simple, stark, stone, straight-out

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Sheer

Words with the opposite meaning of Sheer:

easy, straighten

Related Words for Sheer

peekaboo, clear, crystal, crystalline, limpid, liquid, lucent, pellucid, lucid, translucent, dainty, delicate, flimsy, fragile, frail, insubstantial, unsubstantial, colorless, uncolored, authentic, classic, genuine, real, veritable, constant, endless, eternal, perpetual, undying, unremitting

Near Antonyms of Sheer

opaque, cloudy, foggy, hazy, misty, murky, nebulous, smoky, drab, dull, lackluster, lusterless, doubtful, dubious, equivocal, qualified, questionable, restricted, uncertain, gentle, gradual, moderate, soft, even, flat, flush, horizontal, level, plane, smooth

Word Forms of Sheer

Inflections: sheered, sheering, sheers

Derived words: sheerly (adverb), sheerness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Sheer

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

First known use: circa 1568

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Sheer

Frequently Asked Questions about Sheer

What does "Sheer" mean?

"Sheer" means unqualified, utter. As an an adjective, a noun, an adverb and a verb, it is defined as: unqualified, utter. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Sheer"?

Other words for "Sheer" include cobwebby, diaphanous, filmy, gauzelike, gauzy, gossamer, gossamery and see-through. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Sheer" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Sheer"?

There are 162 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Sheer". Common alternatives include cobwebby, diaphanous, filmy, gauzelike, gauzy, gossamer, gossamery, see-through, transparent and absolute.

What is the opposite of "Sheer"?

Antonyms of "Sheer" include easy and straighten. Near antonyms include opaque, cloudy, foggy and hazy.

How do you use "Sheer" in a sentence?

Examples of "Sheer" in a sentence: "we had to get window shades because passersby could see right through our sheer curtains"; "survivors of the earthquake told of experiencing sheer terror"; "the sheer slopes of the ravine".

Is "Sheer" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Sheer" can be used as an adjective, a noun, an adverb and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Sheer" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Sheer" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Sheer"?

"Sheer" is pronounced /ˈshir/.