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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

sheer

/ʃɪɚ/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does sheer mean?

adjective

  1. Very thin or transparent.
  2. Downright; complete; pure.
  3. Used to emphasize the amount or degree of something.
More meanings (9)

adjective

  1. Very steep; almost vertical or perpendicular.
  2. (obsolete) Pure in composition; unmixed; unadulterated.

noun

  1. A sheer curtain or fabric.
  2. The curve of the main deck or gunwale from bow to stern.
  3. An abrupt swerve from the course of a ship.

verb

  1. To swerve from a course.
  2. (obsolete) Obsolete spelling of shear.

proper noun

  1. A surname.

adverb

  1. (archaic) Clean; completely; at once.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ʃɪɚ/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

She ran out of the room, and Mary stood by the fire and twisted her thin little hands together with sheer pleasure.
Frances Hodgson BurnettThe Secret GardenProject Gutenberg ebook #113
The other seized the die, and clenched his teeth upon it in sheer rage, as if he would bite it in pieces.
Thomas HardyThe Return of the NativeProject Gutenberg ebook #122
More book examples (2)
These were secured to the ship with chains and hooks, the latter being inserted through the side lights in her sheer strake.
Samuel SmilesMen of Invention and IndustryProject Gutenberg ebook #725
Hair growing on your nose, indicates extraordinary undertakings, and that they will be carried through by sheer force of character, or will.
Gustavus Hindman MillerTen Thousand Dreams Interpreted; Or, What's in a Dream A Scientific and Practical ExpositionProject Gutenberg ebook #926