“Shear” vs. “Sheer”: What’s the Difference?
Jun 8, 2023
Engram
The difference between “shear” and “sheer”
- The main difference between shear and sheer is that shear refers to cutting, slicing, or a type of stress, while sheer refers to transparency, steepness, or exaggeration.
- Shear is often used in a physical sense, while sheer is more often used in a figurative sense.
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What is the definition of “shear” and “sheer”?
Shear
- When referring to something physical, shear means to cut or slice with force.
- The term shear can also be used in reference to the act of removing the fleece or wool from a sheep.
Sheer
- Sheer means absolute or pure, as in something that is transparent or without obstruction.
- It can also mean steep or abrupt, as in the sheer face of a cliff.
- Another use of sheer is to describe something as exaggerated or over-the-top, as in a sheer absurdity.
Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?
“Sheer” is the more popular variant on the web.
Shear
111,000,000 results on the web
Examples
- The barber will shear my hair today.
- The sheep farmer has to shear his flock every spring.
- The rough waves shear away at the cliff face.
More popular
Sheer
252,000,000 results on the web
Examples
- The sheer cliffs made for a breathtaking view.
- The sheer amount of work overwhelmed him.
- The dress was made of sheer fabric and was see-through.
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