Pronunciation: /ʃɪr/

Definitions of sheer

adjective used to emphasize the extreme or absolute nature of a quality or condition

Example Sentences

A1 The sheer size of the elephant amazed the children.

A2 She was in sheer disbelief when she won the lottery.

B1 The sheer force of the wind knocked down the trees.

B2 Her sheer determination to succeed propelled her to the top of her field.

C1 The sheer beauty of the landscape took her breath away.

C2 The sheer complexity of the problem required a team of experts to solve it.

adverb completely; totally

Example Sentences

A1 Sheer determination helped her pass the exam.

A2 Sheer luck allowed her to find her lost keys.

B1 The sheer size of the mountain took her breath away.

B2 The sheer force of the storm caused widespread damage.

C1 Her sheer talent as a musician is undeniable.

C2 The sheer beauty of the landscape left her speechless.

Examples of sheer in a Sentence

formal The sheer size of the building was impressive.

informal The sheer amount of work she had to do was overwhelming.

slang Her outfit was sheer perfection.

figurative The sheer determination in her eyes was inspiring.

Grammatical Forms of sheer

past tense

sheered

plural

sheers

comparative

sheerer

superlative

sheerest

present tense

sheers

future tense

will sheer

perfect tense

have sheered

continuous tense

is sheering

singular

sheer

positive degree

sheer

infinitive

to sheer

gerund

sheering

participle

sheered

Origin and Evolution of sheer

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'sheer' originated from the Middle English word 'scher' which means 'pure' or 'clear'. It has roots in Old English and Old Norse.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'sheer' evolved to also mean 'complete' or 'absolute', in addition to its original meaning of 'pure' or 'clear'.