1
as in shaves
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slits
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shears
Verb
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The decision to move elections to November shaves several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026 -
For beard trims and shaves, go to Pisterzi in Soho.—
The Editors,
Curbed,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These systems charge when electricity is cheap and feed power back during peak hours, which cuts reliance on the most expensive generation and keeps prices more stable.—
Tom Von Essen,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2026
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The video then cuts to two Apache helicopters whirling up.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The map slices through Kansas City, splitting the city’s voters across three Republican-leaning districts.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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Toast 2–4 slices bread of choice (such as country-style sourdough or multigrain).—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Joe Rodon clips a pass over the top of the Brentford defence for Calvert-Lewin to contest.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
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The holder clips right to your pack or waders and keeps everything in a neat, easy-to-dispense stack.—
Francesca Krempa,
Outside,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Continue reading … NATION ON EDGE — Stephen A Smith rips 'lip service' on civility after being at WHCA Dinner shooting.—
,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Anderson’s feat is overshadowed by Shaquille O’Neal, who rips down the backboard in the first quarter, delaying the game 45 minutes.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The 2026 model, with only minor changes from 2025, is available in Premiere, Reserve and Black Label trims.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
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The third round of voting trims the field to four restaurants.—
Susan Stapleton,
Des Moines Register,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At the end of each month, Amazon slashes prices on travel gear in order to clear house for the following month.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
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Earlier this month, the White House released its fiscal year (FY) 2027 federal budget request, which slashes NASA's total budget by 23% and its science funding by 47%.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Grandmother takes a small pair of scissors from her bag and snips a swatch from the green cloth, then slips it into her pocket.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
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Using scissors, Boesch, who trained at the Rhode Island School of Design, typically snips cards into pieces and reassembles them into depictions of such subjects as Lady Liberty, Yankee Stadium, Andy Warhol, Derek Jeter, and Pizza Rat.—
Taran Dugal,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Shears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shears. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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