Meaning & use
sheer
Last updated
Complete and total, used for emphasis, or, of fabric, so thin as to be transparent.
See it in a sentence
It was sheer luck that she found her lost ring in the grass.
The dancer wore a sheer scarf over her shoulders.
A note on using this word
The meaning shifts sharply depending on context: "sheer joy" means complete joy, while "sheer fabric" means thin and see-through.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. adjective
Of a cliff or slope, extremely steep, almost vertical.
The trail ended at a sheer cliff face overlooking the valley.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sheer”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.