sheaf
noun
ˈshēf 
plural sheaves ˈshēvz
1
: a quantity of the stalks and ears of a cereal grass or sometimes other plant material bound together
2
: something resembling a sheaf of grain
a sheaf of papers
3
: a large amount or number
sheaflike
ˈshēf-ˌlīk
adjective 
Synonyms
- abundance
- barrel
- basketful
- boatload
- bucket
- bunch
- bundle
- bushel
- carload
- chunk
- deal
- dozen
- fistful
- gobs
- good deal
- heap
- hundred
- lashings [chiefly British]
- lashins
- loads
- lot
- mass
- mess
- mountain
- much
- multiplicity
- myriad
- oodles
- pack
- passel
- peck
- pile
- plateful
- plenitude
- plentitude
- plenty
- pot
- potful
- profusion
- quantity
- raft
- reams
- scads
- shipload
- sight
- slew
- spate
- stack
- store
- ton
- truckload
- volume
- wad
- wealth
- yard
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
contends that casino gambling would generate a sheaf of social problems for the state
Recent Examples on the Web Meanwhile, California lawmakers have been wrangling over a sheaf of proposals that would reduce or suspend the state gas tax, or use the state’s projected $68-billion tax surplus to send direct payments to residents. 
Sam Deanstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2022 These included a December 2017 order revoking and rescinding a sheaf of Obama-era directives and reports on how the department should integrate climate science into its work. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2022 The panels show a variety of scenes — a scholar at his desk with an attendant bringing tea, a child riding an ox, a farmer tying together a sheaf of wheat. Michelle Terris, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2022 Every few minutes, another taxpayer entered hesitantly with a sheaf of papers in hand. Washington Post, 1 May 2022 Since death was imminent if they were caught, one of the boys and his father buried the sheaf and retrieved it after liberation. Domenica Bongiovanni, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Mar. 2022 The man was bent like a parenthesis, with a bald head that shined like the rock that was split open on Rudy Kauffmann's desk, onto which the ancient fellow now tossed a sheaf of papers. CBS News, 6 Jan. 2022 An affectionate portrait of his friend John Gaspar Gevartius juxtaposes a bust of Marcus Aurelius, the ancient Stoic philosopher-king, with the humanist literary scholar, pen poised over a thick sheaf of paper. Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2021 Similar distortions can be found in a sheaf of new lawsuits aimed at vaccine mandates. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2021 See More
Sam Deanstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2022 These included a December 2017 order revoking and rescinding a sheaf of Obama-era directives and reports on how the department should integrate climate science into its work. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2022 The panels show a variety of scenes — a scholar at his desk with an attendant bringing tea, a child riding an ox, a farmer tying together a sheaf of wheat. Michelle Terris, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2022 Every few minutes, another taxpayer entered hesitantly with a sheaf of papers in hand. Washington Post, 1 May 2022 Since death was imminent if they were caught, one of the boys and his father buried the sheaf and retrieved it after liberation. Domenica Bongiovanni, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Mar. 2022 The man was bent like a parenthesis, with a bald head that shined like the rock that was split open on Rudy Kauffmann's desk, onto which the ancient fellow now tossed a sheaf of papers. CBS News, 6 Jan. 2022 An affectionate portrait of his friend John Gaspar Gevartius juxtaposes a bust of Marcus Aurelius, the ancient Stoic philosopher-king, with the humanist literary scholar, pen poised over a thick sheaf of paper. Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2021 Similar distortions can be found in a sheaf of new lawsuits aimed at vaccine mandates. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English sheef, from Old English scēaf; akin to Old High German scoub sheaf, Russian chub forelock
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
sheaf
noun
ˈshēf
plural sheaves
ˈshēvz
1
: a bundle of stalks and ears of grain
2
: a group of things fastened together
a sheaf of papers
sheaf
noun
as in loads
a considerable amount contends that casino gambling would generate a sheaf of social problems for the state Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- loads
- slew
- ton
- dozen
- hundred
- pile
- plenty
- bunch
- chunk
- bundle
- raft
- stack
- fistful
- deal
- quantity
- wealth
- basketful
- lot
- bushel
- reams
- abundance
- heap
- peck
- much
- myriad
- truckload
- plateful
- wad
- bucket
- volume
- boatload
- scads
- profusion
- gobs
- pack
- mass
- carload
- oodles
- mountain
- multiplicity
- shipload
- pot
- barrel
- potful
- yard
- good deal
- passel
- plenitude
- spate
- lashings
- plentitude
- store
- mess
- thousands
- lashins
- sight
- all kinds (of)
- flood
- surplus
- quite a bit
- score
- rash
- multitude
- excess
- plague
- surfeit
- plethora
- superabundance
- sea
- overabundance
- bevy
- deluge
- million
- bonanza
- superfluity
- horde
- swarm
- epidemic
- overage
- throng
- press
- overmuch
- army
- oversupply
- flock
- overflow
- cram
- redundancy
- embarrassment
- host
- legion
- crowd
- crush
- overkill
- trillion
- zillion
- herd
- mob
- drove
- gazillion
- jillion
- kazillion
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- grain
- handful
- strain
- fragment
- shadow
- sprinkling
- ray
- mouthful
- peanuts
- ounce
- speck
- touch
- hint
- trace
- suspicion
- spot
- particle
- pinch
- shade
- atom
- pittance
- scrap
- molecule
- bit
- ace
- taste
- jot
- streak
- dram
- shred
- sprinkle
- glimmer
- scruple
- smattering
- nip
- granule
- mote
- dot
- mite
- piece
- tittle
- section
- crumb
- dab
- iota
- lick
- whit
- portion
- modicum
- morsel
- scintilla
- tad
- drop
- fleck
- little
- smidgeon
- smidgen
- driblet
- dash
- shot
- smidgin
- absence
- nubbin
- flyspeck
- smidge
- shortage
- famine
- lack
- scarcity
- smatter
- paucity
- poverty
- dearth
- deficiency
- insufficiency
- want
- deficit
- inadequacy
- scantiness
- meagerness
- undersupply
- skimpiness
- scarceness
- scantness