- past participle of shear.
shorn
Americanverb
verb
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.
Vocabulary lists containing shorn
Nowhere Boy
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Every Falling Star
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Wolf Hollow
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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.
On average, a kilogram of clean shorn wool sold for £2.54 in the most recent sale, compared with less than £1.50 a year ago.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
The Italian clearly sees Fernandez as not only a talented player but also a leader, something City would be shorn of should Rodri move on.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Viollet-le-Duc’s conception of Gothic architecture, shorn of religious, sentimental and romantic associations, was radically modern.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 18, 2026
Examining a song’s lyrics shorn of the music can highlight the themes that a songwriter such as Johnny Cash or John Darnielle returns to over time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 26, 2025
Next I slipped out of my damask gown and wrapped my shorn hair and my clothes in a tight bundle for Horatio to destroy.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
