The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - sheer adj.

1) steep, precipitous, abrupt, perpendicular, bluff, vertical: There is a sheer drop of 2000 feet to the valley below. 2) absolute, unmitigated, unqualified, downright, out-and-out, unalloyed, unadulterated, pure, unmixed, plain, simple, rank, total, complete, arrant, thorough, thoroughgoing, utter: Johnson said that he had got his definition of 'pastern' wrong out of 'sheer ignorance'. 3) transparent, see-through, thin, diaphanous, filmy, gauzy, gossamer, translucent, peekaboo: Kathryn was wearing the sheer nightgown he had given her for her birthday.