# shears vs swear

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### shears
*noun · IPA /ʃɪə(ɹ)z/ · frequency rank #33,016*
plural of shear

### swear
*verb · IPA /ˈswɛə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #2,968*
To take an oath, to promise intensely, solemnly, and/or with legally binding effect.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shears-vs-swear