Word
sheer
US/ˈʃɪɹ/
UK/ʃˈiə/
Definitions
01complete or extreme
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. used to emphasize how great, heavy, or extreme something is.
adj. used as an intensifier to emphasize the magnitude, weight, or degree of a quality.
“The sheer size of the mountain made us feel very small.”
“The project succeeded through sheer persistence, as the team refused to give up despite numerous technical setbacks and funding cuts.”
02to swerve
C2 · Proficiency Technical
v. to suddenly change direction, especially for a ship or vehicle.
v. to deviate or swerve suddenly from a set course; frequently used in nautical contexts.
“The ship began to sheer away from the rocky coastline.”
“The vessel sheered wildly to port as the steering gear failed, narrowly avoiding a collision with the approaching tanker.”
03a curve or swerve
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical
n. a sudden change in direction or the curve of a ship's deck.
n. the longitudinal upward curve of a ship's deck; also refers to a sudden change in a vessel's heading.
“The boat had a beautiful sheer that made it look very elegant on the water.”
“The naval architect adjusted the sheer of the hull to improve the vessel's aesthetic profile and its ability to shed water in heavy seas.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “sheer” in context.
Adjective
01. sheer coincidence
“It was sheer coincidence that we both ended up at the same remote hotel in Italy.”
adj + noun
02. sheer curtains
“The sunlight filtered softly through the sheer curtains in the living room.”
adj + noun
03. sheer determination
“She managed to finish the marathon through sheer determination despite her injury.”
adj + noun
04. sheer drop
“Be careful near the edge, as there is a sheer drop of over two hundred meters to the sea.”
adj + noun
05. sheer madness
“Attempting to cross the Atlantic in such a small boat is sheer madness.”
adj + noun
06. sheer volume of work
“The staff were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work during the holiday season.”
adj + noun + of + noun
Preposition
07. by sheer luck
“By sheer luck, I found my lost keys lying right next to the car tire.”
prep + adj + noun
08. out of sheer curiosity
“I decided to attend the lecture out of sheer curiosity about the topic.”
prep + adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“The Big Sur section of Highway 1 offers some of the state’s most stunning views, with sheer drops into the sea and a 24-metre (79-foot) waterfall tumbling from a cliff to the beach below.” “To anyone who knows north Devon this is sheer madness.” Etymology
From Middle English shere, scheere, schere, skere, from Old English sċǣre (“pure, sheer; shining, clear”), from Proto-Germanic skairiz; supplanted the semantically close shire (dialectal), from Middle English schyre, schire, shire, shir, from Old English sċīr (“clear, bright; brilliant, gleaming, shining, splendid, resplendent; pure”), beside which existed Middle English skyr, from Old Norse skírr (“pure, bright, clear”), both from Proto-Germanic skīriz (“pure, sheer”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱeh₁y- (“luster, gloss, shadow”). Cognate with Danish skær, German schier (“sheer”), German Low German schier (“sheer, pure, unadulterated”; “completely, almost”), Dutch schier (“almost”), Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌴𐌹𐍂𐍃 (skeirs, “clear, lucid”). Outside Germanic, cognate to Albanian hir (“grace, beauty; goodwill”).
Perhaps from Dutch scheren (“to move aside, skim”); see also shear.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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