sheer
gb/ʃˈɪɹ/ us/ʃˈɪɹ/
B2
English
~ 8300
merő, puszta, meredek, szinte függőleges, áttetsző, fátyolvékony, áttetsző anyag, fátyolszövet, kitér, elkanyarodik, hirtelen irányt vált, meredeken, szinte függőlegesen
B2
1
Usage pattern:
sheer [abstract noun]
It was sheer luck that we caught the last train.
Merő szerencse volt, hogy elértük az utolsó vonatot.
The idea is sheer nonsense and will never work.
Az ötlet merő képtelenség, és soha nem fog működni.
They survived through sheer determination and hard work.
The sheer number of options can be overwhelming.
He yelled in sheer frustration when the computer crashed again.
Learner examples
We met by sheer luck on the street.
Merő véletlenből találkoztunk az utcán.
The plan is sheer madness, so I will not join.
A terv merő őrültség, ezért nem veszek részt benne.
She passed the exam through sheer hard work.
The sheer noise in the room gave me a headache.
I was shaking with sheer fear during the storm.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'sheer' before any noun, including concrete objects (e.g. *'a sheer car'*). In this sense, 'sheer' is normally used with abstract nouns (luck, joy, force, number, size) or uncountable ideas, to emphasize their strength or completeness. Another confusion is with 'pure'; 'pure' can describe physical substances (pure water), while 'sheer' almost always expresses emphasis with abstract ideas.
Meaning
complete, absolute, not limited
Collocations
sheer luck
|sheer joy
|sheer nonsense
|sheer stupidity
|sheer coincidence
|the sheer number of
Synonyms
absolute (More formal; often used in similar abstract contexts, but slightly less emotional than 'sheer'.)
|
pure (Focuses more on being not mixed with anything else; less about strength or emphasis than 'sheer'.)
Antonyms
partial (Suggests something is only to some degree or not complete, the opposite of 'sheer' in this emphatic use.)
|
mixed (Suggests a combination of different elements rather than being purely one thing.)
Themes
description
|emphasis
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used before some nouns to say that something is complete or very strong, with nothing else mixed in.
Used to emphasize that something is complete, pure, or not mixed with anything else, especially with abstract nouns such as luck, stupidity, joy, or number.
B2
2
meredek
A2
Usage pattern:
sheer [cliff/drop/wall/rock face]
The path runs along the edge of a sheer cliff above the sea.
Az ösvény a tenger fölötti meredek sziklafal peremén fut.
Below us was a sheer drop of nearly one hundred meters.
Alattunk csaknem száz méter mély, szinte függőleges szakadék tátongott.
They camped at the base of a sheer rock face.
A sheer wall of ice blocked their way to the summit.
From the valley floor, the mountains looked sheer and impossible to climb.
Learner examples
We stood at the top of a sheer cliff.
Egy meredek sziklafal tetején álltunk.
There is a sheer drop beside the road, so drive carefully.
Az út mellett meredek szakadék van, ezért vezess óvatosan.
The castle is built on a sheer rock above the town.
Climbers moved slowly up the sheer wall.
The hill becomes sheer near the top.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the 'complete, absolute' sense and say things like *'a sheer slope of problems'*. Use this sense only for physical things like cliffs, drops, walls, and rock faces that are almost vertical.
Meaning
very steep, almost vertical
Collocations
sheer cliff
|sheer drop
|sheer wall
|sheer rock face
|sheer mountainside
Synonyms
steep (General word; 'sheer' suggests even more extreme, closer to vertical.)
|
vertical (More technical and exact; 'sheer' is often used more descriptively and can mean 'almost' vertical.)
Antonyms
gentle (Describes a slope that rises or falls slowly, the opposite of a sheer slope or cliff.)
|
sloping (Implies an angled surface rather than an almost straight up‑and‑down one.)
Themes
nature
|travel
|description
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very steep, going almost straight up or straight down.
Very steep, rising or falling almost straight up or straight down.
B2
3
áttetsző
B1
fátyolvékony
C1
Usage pattern:
sheer [fabric/curtains/blouse/tights/stockings]
She wore a sheer blouse over a black camisole.
Fekete spagettipántos top fölött áttetsző blúzt viselt.
Soft light came through the sheer curtains.
Lágy fény szűrődött be az áttetsző függönyökön át.
The dress has sheer sleeves that show her skin.
He chose a sheer fabric to make the summer dress cooler.
These tights are very sheer and tear easily.
Learner examples
The sun came through the sheer curtain.
A napfény átszűrődött az áttetsző függönyön.
She likes to wear sheer black tights.
Szeret áttetsző fekete harisnyanadrágot viselni.
Her shirt is sheer, so she wears a top under it.
This scarf is so sheer you can see my hand.
The dress has a sheer layer over the skirt.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use this sense with non‑fabric nouns, like *'sheer glass'* or *'sheer window'*; in those cases words like 'clear' or 'transparent' are more natural. 'Sheer' in this sense is mainly used for cloth and clothing.
Meaning
very thin and see‑through
Collocations
sheer fabric
|sheer curtains
|sheer blouse
|sheer tights
|sheer stockings
|sheer sleeves
Synonyms
see‑through (More informal and direct; often used about clothing that shows the body beneath.)
|
transparent (More general and technical; 'sheer' is commonly used in fashion and fabrics.)
Antonyms
opaque (Describes material that you cannot see through at all, the opposite of sheer fabric.)
|
thick (Emphasizes the heavy, non‑see‑through quality of material.)
Themes
clothing
|shopping
|appearance
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very thin and almost see‑through, used especially to talk about clothes or cloth.
Describes cloth, tights, or other material that is very thin and almost transparent.
NOUN
C1
4
fátyolszövet
C1
Usage pattern:
a sheer; sheer[s] [for windows/clothes]
We hung white sheers in the living room to let in more light.
Fehér, áttetsző függönyöket akasztottunk a nappaliba, hogy több fény jusson be.
The designer used a delicate sheer over a solid lining.
A tervező finom áttetsző anyagot használt egy átlátszatlan bélés fölött.
She prefers sheers instead of blinds for her bedroom windows.
Learner examples
The new curtains are simple white sheers.
Az új függönyök egyszerű, fehér áttetsző függönyök.
There is a sheer over the dark cloth.
A sötét anyag fölött egy áttetsző réteg van.
She bought blue sheers for the kitchen window.
These sheers make the room bright but private.
The dress has a sheer on top of the main cloth.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that 'sheer' can be a noun, not only an adjective. In home and clothing contexts, 'sheers' often means sheer curtains, not scissors (which are 'shears'). The spelling difference between 'sheer' and 'shears' can be confusing.
Meaning
very thin, transparent fabric
Collocations
white sheers
|window sheers
|a pair of sheers
|sheer panels
|layer of sheer
Synonyms
chiffon (A specific type of light, sheer fabric; more technical and limited than the general word 'sheer'.)
|
net (A fabric with open holes; sometimes used similarly, but not all net is sheer and vice versa.)
Antonyms
heavy fabric (General description for thick, non‑transparent materials, contrasting with sheer fabrics.)
Themes
clothing
|home
|shopping
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very thin, almost see‑through cloth, often used for curtains or light clothes.
A type of fabric that is very thin and almost transparent, often used for curtains, blouses, or tights.
VERB
C1
LITERARY
5
Usage pattern:
to sheer [off/away] (from [something])
The horse sheered away at the last moment, avoiding the fence.
A ló az utolsó pillanatban kitért, és elkerülte a kerítést.
The truck suddenly sheered off to the right to miss the dog.
A teherautó hirtelen jobbra tért ki, hogy ne üsse el a kutyát.
As the wind changed, the boat sheered away from the harbor wall.
Learner examples
The car sheered off when the driver saw a rock.
Az autó hirtelen kitért, amikor a sofőr meglátott egy követ.
The boat sheered away from the shore.
A hajó hirtelen elkanyarodott a parttól.
The horse sheered to the left and the rider fell.
The bike sheered off the road to miss the child.
At the loud noise, the animals sheered away from the gate.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this verb instead of the much more common 'swerve' or 'veer'. In modern everyday English, 'sheer' as a verb sounds literary or old‑fashioned, and is less likely in casual conversation.
Meaning
suddenly swerve or move aside
Collocations
sheer off
|sheer away
|sheer away from
|horse sheered
|car sheered
Synonyms
swerve (More common in modern English; especially used for cars and bikes.)
|
veer (Neutral and common; used for both literal and figurative direction changes.)
Antonyms
stay on course (Describes continuing in the same direction without moving aside, the opposite of sheering off.)
Themes
movement
|transport
|nature
|transportation
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To suddenly move to the side away from a straight line or path.
To suddenly move or turn away from an intended path or direction, especially to avoid something.
C1
LITERARY
6
meredeken
B1
Usage pattern:
[something] rises/falls sheer (from/into [something])
The cliffs rose sheer from the ocean.
A sziklafalak szinte függőlegesen emelkedtek ki az óceánból.
On one side, the land fell sheer into dark water.
Az egyik oldalon a terep meredeken szakadt le a sötét vízbe.
Ahead of them the rock face went sheer up into the clouds.
Learner examples
The mountain rose sheer from the lake.
A hegy meredeken emelkedett ki a tóból.
The land fell sheer into the sea.
A part meredeken szakadt le a tengerbe.
The walls went sheer up on both sides.
The road edge dropped sheer into the river.
Tall rocks stood sheer above the town.
Common mistake:
Learners may treat this adverb like the adjective 'sheer' and say *'a sheer up wall'* instead of using it after the verb, as in 'the wall rose sheer'. It is mainly used in literary or descriptive writing, not in everyday speech.
Meaning
straight up or straight down
Collocations
rose sheer from
|rose sheer above
|fell sheer into
|dropped sheer into
Synonyms
vertically (More technical and exact; 'sheer' is more descriptive and literary.)
Antonyms
gradually (Describes a slow, gentle rise or fall, the opposite of a sheer rise or drop.)
Themes
nature
|description
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Up or down almost in a straight line, like a wall.
Straight up or straight down, or very close to that, especially when describing cliffs, walls, or drops.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sheer
IPA
GB/ʃˈɪɹ/
US/ʃˈɪɹ/
Syllables & stress
sheer (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sheer)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: sheer
- Comparative: sheerer
- Superlative: sheerest
Verb
- Base: sheer
- 3rd Person Singular: sheers
- Present Participle: sheering
- Past: sheered
Word family
Forms
sheers
verb
sheering
verb
sheered
verb
sheerer
adjective
sheerest
adjective
Advanced or less common
sheerness
noun
sheerly
adverb
Expressions
by sheer force of will
1/bˈaɪ ʃˈɪɹ fˈɔɹs əv wˈɪl/
fixed phrase
only through strong determination
Used to say someone did something difficult only because they were very determined.
Examples
- She finished the marathon by sheer force of will.
- He gave up smoking by sheer force of will.
- They kept the business alive by sheer force of will and long hours.
by sheer luck
1/bˈaɪ ʃˈɪɹ lˈʌk/
fixed phrase
only because of luck
Used to say that something good happened only because of luck, not because of planning or skill.
Examples
- We caught the last bus by sheer luck.
- He found his lost ring by sheer luck while cleaning the kitchen.
- They avoided the storm by sheer luck, not by good planning.
out of sheer boredom
1/ˈaʊt əv ʃˈɪɹ bˈɔɹdəm/
fixed phrase
only because of boredom
Used to say that you did something just because you were bored and had nothing else to do.
Examples
- He started scrolling social media out of sheer boredom.
- They went for a drive out of sheer boredom on Sunday afternoon.
- She called her friend out of sheer boredom during the long wait.
out of sheer curiosity
1/ˈaʊt əv ʃˈɪɹ kjˌʊɹiˈɑsəti/
fixed phrase
only because of curiosity
Used to say you did something only because you wanted to know or see, not for any serious reason.
Examples
- I clicked on the link out of sheer curiosity.
- She opened the old box out of sheer curiosity.
- He started the experiment out of sheer curiosity about the result.
sheer delight
1/ʃˈɪɹ dɪlˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
complete and intense joy
Used to say that something gives you a very strong and complete feeling of happiness.
Examples
- The children’s faces were sheer delight when the show began.
- For her, playing the piano is sheer delight.
- The first bite of chocolate cake was sheer delight.
sheer nonsense
1/ʃˈɪɹ nˈɑnsɛns/
fixed phrase
something completely foolish or wrong
Used to say very strongly that an idea or statement is completely stupid or wrong.
Examples
- What you’re saying is sheer nonsense.
- The claim that money grows on trees is sheer nonsense.
- He dismissed the rumor as sheer nonsense.
the sheer number of
1/ðə ʃˈɪɹ nˈʌmbɚ əv/
fixed phrase
emphasizing a very large number
Used before a plural noun to say there are a very large number of something.
Examples
- The sheer number of emails I get each day is exhausting.
- We were surprised by the sheer number of people at the concert.
- The sheer number of choices makes it hard to decide.
the sheer size of
1/ðə ʃˈɪɹ sˈaɪz əv/
fixed phrase
emphasizing very large size
Used before a singular noun to say something is very big and its size is surprising.
Examples
- The sheer size of the stadium amazed us.
- They were shocked by the sheer size of the project.
- The sheer size of the animal made everyone step back.