What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
sheer
Example
The car sheered off the road to avoid hitting the deer. [sheered: past tense verb]
Example
The plane made a sheer drop before pulling up at the last moment. [sheer: adjective]
veer
Example
The boat veered off course due to strong winds. [veered: past tense verb]
Example
The discussion veered towards politics after starting with sports. [veered: past tense verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Veer is more commonly used than sheer in everyday language, especially in nautical or conversational contexts. Sheer is less common and tends to be used in more specific contexts related to driving or flying.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between sheer and veer?
Both sheer and veer are relatively formal words, but veer may be slightly more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
