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Synonyms

shorn

American  
[shawrn, shohrn] / ʃɔrn, ʃoʊrn /

verb

  1. a past participle of shear.


shorn British  
/ ʃɔːn /

verb

  1. a past participle of shear

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Explanation

If something is shorn, it's trimmed, clipped, or shaved. A shorn sheep is considerably less fluffy than one that isn't shorn. If your brother gets his curls closely cropped, you can describe him as shorn, and you can also say your weedy front lawn is shorn once you've barreled through it with a lawnmower. This adjective, however, is most often applied to wooly animals. Shorn sheep may look cold and skinny, but thoughtful shearers won't leave them in this state during the chilly months.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Shorn of captain Bruno Fernandes due to injury plus the absent Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo due to the Africa Cup of Nations, Amorim's change of role for Dorgu paid dividends.

From Barron's • Dec. 26, 2025

Shorn of bark and branches, the wayward trunks are now smooth and glistening.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 28, 2023

Shorn of the weight of expectation, this could be the year Neymar delivers for Brazil at a World Cup.

From BBC • Nov. 23, 2022

Shorn of its moderates, the coalition was now “a conservative rump.”

From Washington Post • May 20, 2022

Shorn of her bishops, banks, and dividends, Another Babel soars—but Britain ends.

From The Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 5 Poetry by Coleridge, Ernest Hartley