ESEN
Which one to use?Advancedverb / nounadjective
ShearvsSheer
'Shear' is to cut or clip (especially wool); 'sheer' means pure or utter, or describes fabric that is very thin and transparent.
Side-by-side comparison
Shear
verb / noun"Shear" is to cut with blades or to clip wool from a sheep. "Shear the sheep" = remove the fleece. In physics: a shearing force acts on two surfaces in opposite directions, causing deformation.
The farmer shears his sheep every spring before the hot season.
The bolt sheared off under the excessive pressure.
Use garden shears to trim the hedge into a neat shape.
Sheer
adjective"Sheer" as an adjective means utter and complete ("sheer luck" = nothing but luck), very thin and transparent ("sheer fabric"), or nearly vertical ("sheer drop" = a near-vertical fall).
It was sheer determination that got her through the marathon.
The cliff dropped in a sheer vertical fall to the ocean below.
She wore a sheer blouse over a white camisole.
Common mistake
- •"It was shear luck" when meaning pure/utter luck is wrong (correct: sheer luck).
- •And "She had on shear stockings" when meaning transparent is wrong (correct: sheer stockings).
Trick to remember it
- •"Shear" has EAR like "hear" and "near", sounds of specific physical action, like cutting.
- •"Sheer" has double E like "steep" and "deep", conveying intensity or completeness.
Quick rule
Is it the verb to cut or clip? "Shear." Is it the adjective for utter, transparent, or nearly vertical? "Sheer."
Did you know?
"Shear forces" in engineering are forces acting parallel to a surface in opposite directions, like the two blades of scissors. They are fundamental in the design of bridges, aircraft, and skyscrapers: a well-designed bridge must resist not only vertical weight but also the horizontal shear forces caused by wind or earthquakes. The San Andreas Fault in California is a natural example of shear on a massive scale: two tectonic plates sliding in opposite directions, accumulating enormous tension over centuries and releasing it as an earthquake.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The farmer _____ ed the sheep in spring before the warm weather arrived.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
It was _____ luck that she found the wallet — she just happened to look down.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
AcceptvsExcept
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
AdvicevsAdvise
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
AffectvsEffect
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
AislevsIsle
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy