1
a
: unqualified, utter
sheer folly
sheer ignorance
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
sheerly
adverb
sheerness
noun
: a sheer fabric
also
: an article of such a fabric
1
: straight up or down without a break : perpendicularly
2
: in a complete manner : altogether
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
: the fore-and-aft curvature from bow to stern of a ship's deck as shown in side elevation
Examples of sheer in a Sentence
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
Recent Examples on the Web
Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2025
Queen Camilla augmented her monochrome attire with sheer black tights and a pair of Eliot Zed black suede pumps with a leather toe cap.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025
These faux linen drapes from NiceTown build on the versatility of semi-sheers with 16 color choices and both rod pocket and back tab installation options.
—Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025
Jenny Berg, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025
The actress also wore sheer, glittery pumps and matched her eyeshadow to her dress.
—Catherine Santino, People.com, 15 July 2025
Deanna Pai, Allure, 4 July 2025
The direct hit from an Iranian missile sheered the front off of a ten-story residential building, killing six people and burying several more under mounds of rubble.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sheer
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Adjective
And in the world of national parks, this tension is amplified by factors like location, accessibility, and sheer size.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2025
Queen Camilla augmented her monochrome attire with sheer black tights and a pair of Eliot Zed black suede pumps with a leather toe cap.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
Moody hues seemed to be the unspoken shades of the night, boasted by the likes of Elordi and Goth, in maroon suiting and inky black sheer respectively.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025
These faux linen drapes from NiceTown build on the versatility of semi-sheers with 16 color choices and both rod pocket and back tab installation options.
—Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025
Adverb
The classic, barely-there formula also comes in Pink Honey, a soft, sheer pink, and the peachy brown Nude Honey.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025
The actress also wore sheer, glittery pumps and matched her eyeshadow to her dress.
—Catherine Santino, People.com, 15 July 2025
Verb
This popular formula comes in 50 shades, provides full coverage (which can be easily sheered out or built up) that doesn't fade throughout the day, and doesn't budge on oily skin.
—Deanna Pai, Allure, 4 July 2025
The direct hit from an Iranian missile sheered the front off of a ten-story residential building, killing six people and burying several more under mounds of rubble.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sheer
Cite this Entry
“Sheer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sheer. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sheer
1 of 4 adjective1
: very thin or transparent
sheer stockings
2
a
: being such to the fullest degree : utter
sheer nonsense
b
: taken or acting apart from everything else
by sheer force
3
: very steep : being almost straight up and down
a sheer drop to the sea
sheerly
adverb
sheerness
noun
sheer
2 of 4 adverb1
: in a complete manner : altogether
2
: straight up or down with no break : perpendicularly
sheer
3 of 4 verb
: to swerve from a course
sheer
4 of 4 noun
: a turn or change in the course of a ship
Etymology
Adjective
from earlier sheer "shining," from Middle English sheer "freed from guilt," probably from an early Norse word skærr "pure"
Verb
perhaps an altered form of shear "to cut, cut off"
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