EN

Synonyms for sheer

  • adjective

Most common

pure absolute out-and-out unmitigated see-through diaphanous steep plain

Synonyms by meaning

Adjective

1. Pure — downright; complete; pure

pure, pyore US, absolute, out-and-out, unmitigated, unadulterated, stark, complete, utter, downright, total, rank, unqualified, simple, perfect, bare, outright, unalloyed, right, right-down, consummate, naked, thorough-going

2. Diaphanous — very thin or transparent

see-through, diaphanous, gauzy, thin, gossamer, filmy, transparent, vaporous, gauze-like, cobwebby

3. Steep — very steep; almost vertical or perpendicular

steep, vertical, precipitous, perpendicular

4. Plain

plain, unmixed, unmingled

Other

undiluted, bold, bluff, abrupt

Antonyms

opaque, thick, heavy

All antonyms of sheer →

Definitions

  1. adj. 1

    Very thin or transparent.

    Her light, sheer dress caught everyone’s attention.

  2. adj. 2

    Downright; complete; pure.

    This poem is sheer nonsense.

  3. adj. 3

    Very steep; almost vertical or perpendicular.

    It was a sheer drop of 180 feet.

  4. adj. 4

    Used to emphasize the amount or degree of something.

    The army's sheer size made it impossible to resist.

Related words

Is a kind of
thin translucent

Example sentences

  • absolute It's an absolute waste of time to wait any longer.
  • stark Ziri walked in on Rima and found her stark naked.
  • unadulterated I promise you it's unadulterated.
  • unmitigated Few things can match the unmitigated fury of child preachers.
  • gauzy Mary was asked to try on a blue gauzy dress.
  • diaphanous I am completely agog over your diaphanous dress.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
sheerrising
absolutesteady
starkrising
unadulteratedrising
unmitigatedrising
gauzyrising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters
pure1, thin1, rank1, bold1, bare1
5 letters
right1, total2, naked2, plain1, stark1, steep1, utter2, bluff1, gauzy, filmy, pyore
6 letters
simple2, abrupt2
7 letters
perfect2, unmixed2
8 letters
complete2, absolute3, vertical3, outright2, gossamer3, vaporous, cobwebby
9 letters
downright2, undiluted4, unalloyed3, unmingled
10 letters
consummate3, diaphanous4
11 letters
transparent3, unqualified4, unmitigated5, precipitous4
13 letters
perpendicular5, unadulterated6

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (total2 = 2 syllables).