SHEARING Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

shearing

verb

present participle of shear

as in shaving

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in slicing

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 shearing The fledgling storm was affected by shearing winds that forecasters expected to prevent it from building into the kind of hurricane that can sometimes quickly develop in the Gulf just offshore. — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 24 July 2026 This easy-care hedge requires shearing only once a year to maintain its shape. — Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 13 July 2026 Harryson says to avoid shearing the entire plant into a tight mound, cutting into the crown, removing emerging spring shoots, and pruning too early. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 16 June 2026 In that 1964 work, Ono sat still on a stage, a pair of scissors beside her, as audience members took turns shearing her clothing. — Julie L. Belcove, Architectural Digest, 12 June 2026 The plants bloom in late spring and early summer and can be encouraged to bloom again by shearing the plants back by two-thirds after the first flowers fade. — Lynn McAlpine, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2026 Sophomore Joe Teter enjoyed the honor of shearing Dunckel’s head. — Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025 The video shows the Amazon drone shearing the wire line. — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2025 The film reunited him with Morrison, who played the head of a sheep-shearing family business in northeastern New Zealand in the 1950s. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shearing

Verb

The 23-year-old and his Serbia team-mates won the Davis Cup for the first time in December 2010, and fulfilled a promise by shaving their heads in celebration.

— Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Go bananas with shaving cream Have your kids hop into a dry bathtub with their swimsuit on.

— Michelle Crouch, Parents, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of shaving

Verb

Let the loaf rest for at least 10 or 15 minutes before slicing.

— Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Aug. 2026
Since her confirmation, McMahon has partnered with several agencies that can co-manage the department's responsibilities and severely gutted the department's workforce by slicing its staff nearly in half.

— Arthur Jones II, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of slicing

Verb

Furthermore, Bailey stated that simply not cutting rates already constitutes monetary policy tightening.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Enacting a solution is liable to be a significant political battle, likely involving cutting benefits for some Americans or raising taxes on higher earners, or both.

— Ashley Lopez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of cutting

Verb

The prosecutor said Tran tried to take his own life by slitting a wrist, cutting his neck and poking a blade into his stomach.

— Sean Emery, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
When Rochelle Luna, 18, arrived at the house hours later, Djerf bound, gagged and raped her before stabbing her and slitting her throat, court records said.

— Elena Santa Cruz, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025

Definition of slitting

Verb

Koloffon started the scoring for the Vikings in the ninth minute, taking a pass from Marquez and ripping in a hard shot from 15 yards.

— Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
The travel stocks have been ripping for three years while this one mostly sat the party out.

— Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of ripping

Verb

Mastering the clipping economy Some of Ossoff’s newfound fans know him mostly from clips — one or two-minute-long videos that travel wide and far on social media platforms.

— Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Murcko has been tapped to steer the company’s global revenue organization, overseeing brand partnerships, direct media sales, podcast sales, clipping and other brand and sponsorship activities.

— William Earl, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of clipping

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“Shearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shearing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shearing

verb

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