sheer
1 of 6adjective
1
a
: unqualified, utter
sheer folly
sheer ignorance
b
: being free from an adulterant : pure, unmixed
c
: viewed or acting in dissociation from all else
in terms of sheer numbers
2
: marked by great and continuous steepness
3
: of very thin or transparent texture : diaphanous
4
obsolete : bright, shining
sheerly adverb
sheerness noun
sheer
2 of 6noun (1)
: a sheer fabric
also : an article of such a fabric
sheer
3 of 6adverb
1
: straight up or down without a break : perpendicularly
2
: in a complete manner : altogether
sheer
4 of 6verb
ˈshir 
sheered; sheering; sheers
intransitive verb
: to deviate from a course : swerve
transitive verb
: to cause to sheer
sheer
5 of 6noun (2)
1
: a turn, deviation, or change in a course (as of a ship)
2
: the position of a ship riding to a single anchor and heading toward it
sheer
6 of 6noun (3)
: the fore-and-aft curvature from bow to stern of a ship's deck as shown in side elevation
Synonyms
Adjective
- cobwebby
- diaphanous
- filmy
- gauzelike
- gauzy
- gossamer
- gossamery
- see-through
- transparent
Verb
- detour
- deviate
- diverge
- swerve
- swing
- turn
- turn off
- veer
- wheel
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective a sheer drop to the sea we had to get window shades because passersby could see right through our sheer curtains Adverb mountains rising sheer from the plains Verb the cruise ship sheered to the northwest, putting it safely out of the path of the hurricane the car sheered to avoid hitting the dog
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English schere freed from guilt, probably alteration of skere, from Old Norse skærr pure; akin to Old English scīnan to shine
Verb
perhaps alteration of shear entry 1
Noun (3)
perhaps alteration of shear entry 2
First Known Use
Adjective
circa 1568, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Noun (1)
circa 1920, in the meaning defined above
Adverb
1599, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Verb
1539, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Noun (2)
1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (3)
1691, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
sheer
adjective
ˈshir
sheerer; sheerest
1
: very thin or transparent
sheer curtains
2
: complete and total : absolute
sheer nonsense
3
: taken or acting apart from everything else
He won through sheer determination.
4
: very steep
a sheer cliff
sheers
verb
1
as in deviates
to change one's course or direction the cruise ship sheered to the northwest, putting it safely out of the path of the hurricane Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- deviates
- turns
- swings
- veers
- wheels
- tacks
- zigzags
- detours
- diverges
- turns off
- swerves
- turns back
- doubles (back)
2
as in veers
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course the car sheered to avoid hitting the dog Synonyms & Similar Words
- veers
- curves
- cuts
- bows
- circles
- arches
- zags
- turns
- hooks
- zigs
- curls
- swerves
- sweeps
- breaks
- weaves
- coils
- twists
- loops
- yaws
- wheels
- crooks
- wanders
- bends
- winds
- arcs
- pivots
- skews
- rounds
- slues
- spirals
- zigzags
- strays
- slews
- about-faces
- deviates
- wavers
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- straightens