fleece 1 of 2

noun

ˈflēs How to pronounce fleece (audio)
Definition of fleecenext
as in wool
the hairy covering of a mammal especially when fine, soft, and thick learning how to shear the fleece off a sheep

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

fleece

2 of 2

verb

as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats swindlers who use the telephone to fleece senior citizens out of their savings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fleece
Noun
As laundry professional Melia Long explains, cotton, fleece, and other garments that shed lint can damage your cleaning cloths. — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 26 June 2026 The show partnered with the Province of Canada to release an official fleece in the likeness of Shane's fan-favorite apparel on season 2. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
Verb
To prove wire fraud, the government must show at trial that the Southern Poverty Law Center intentionally tried to fleece its donors and that those misstatements or omissions of facts were material. — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 With 374 million units nationwide and replacements averaging $10,000 each, we are being fleeced by a cycle of premature replacement. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for fleece
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fleece
  1. wool
  2. cheat
  3. hair
  4. squeeze
  5. pluck
  6. sting
  7. hustle
  8. stick
Noun
  • Unlike straw or lower-grade wool blends, beaver felt can be reworked without collapsing its structure, which is what allows hats to be reshaped by hand rather than stamped out of a mold.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2026
  • The record also states that the boys were wearing heavy wool coats and silk stockings in the middle of summer in Philly.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of wool
Verb
  • The American grandmaster shed some light on his mindset following Kramnik’s cheating accusations in a livestream prior to his death, according to the Associated Press.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
  • Trump has also continued to claim Democrats are trying to rig or cheat in the upcoming election, remarks that have faced rebukes from members of his own party.
    — Ana Ceballos Follow, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of cheat
Noun
  • The paddle brush, meanwhile, solved a nagging hair problem for me.
    — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026
  • Van Hecke jogged to the sideline after his blond hair had turned red from the blood.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
Definition of hair
Verb
  • As artificial intelligence transforms the job market and rising living costs squeeze family budgets, the University of California system is making the case that its degrees remain valuable investments.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
  • Breweries may not have the budget or staff to create art and with rising costs squeezing small businesses, many breweries started to feature obvious generative AI art prominently as a way to talk about events or create content.
    — Em Sauter, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • Patina Osaka’s ground-floor restaurant, P72, focuses on seasonal produce sourced nearby and plucked daily from the hotel’s urban garden.
    — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
  • Eyebrows were being plucked into oblivion, bronzer was used in excess, and hair was parted deeply to one side.
    — Lauren Alberti, Allure, 6 July 2026
Definition of pluck
Verb
  • Significant stinging insect infestations like wasps and carpenter bees may also require a specialized plan that isn’t included in your general pest control service.
    — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Democrats are still stung by Rogan’s nearly three-hour Trump interview in the final weeks of the 2024 campaign.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of sting
Verb
  • Finally at the front of the line to enter the national memorial, the Wheelers and the Lockes took their turn through security to hustle for a good spot near the stage.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • He was hustled by Charlie Parker and was part of the American delegation at the inauguration of his good friend Nelson Mandela.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 3 July 2026
Definition of hustle
Verb
  • Their families clung to the shade of the trees on either side, where one woman had two American flags stuck through her ponytail.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • That level of output convinced Vogt to stick him in the leadoff spot a little more than three weeks into his career and not look back.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of stick

Browse Nearby Words

flee
fleece
fleeced
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fleece.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fleece. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on fleece

Nglish: Translation of fleece for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All