How to pronounce shear
Say it like SHEER. Shear is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shear. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHEER
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shear pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHEERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of shear
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SHEER.
What does shear mean?
- A cutting tool similar to scissors, but often larger.
- A large machine use for cutting sheet metal.
- The act of shearing, or something removed by shearing.
- To remove the fleece from (a sheep, llama, etc.) by clipping.“shear the llamas”
- To cut the hair of (a person).“shear the afro off someone's head”
- To cut, originally with a sword or other bladed weapon, now usually with shears, or as if using shears.
Where does shear come from?
Cognate with West Frisian skarre, Low German, Dutch, and German scheren, Danish skære, Norwegian Bokmål skjære, Norwegian Nynorsk skjera, Swedish skära, Faroese and Icelandic skera, (borrowed from Germanic) Finnish keritä; and (from Indo-Eu
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with shear
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shear.
Words that sound like shear
Questions about saying shear
How do you pronounce shear?
Say SHEER. The American pronunciation is /ʃɪr/. In British English it is /ʃɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shear?
Shear is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHEER.
Is shear pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ʃɪə/ (SHEER).
What words sound the same as shear?
Shear sounds the same as sheer in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.