Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow.
Source: tatoeba (625195)
Fleece
/fliːs/
Synonyms for "fleece" (255 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (51)
Strong matches (77)
despoildiddledisplumedivestdodo indo out ofdoughdowndraindriven snowdryeiderdownermineeuchreexhaustexploitexposeextortfabric
Show 50 more words
featherfeather bedfeathersfellfinagleflamflayfleshflimflamflossflourflueflufffoamfobfoolforageforayfreebootfudgefurfurringgougegullgutgyphairhaveheadhead of hairhidehocushocus-pocushold uphorsehairhustleimitation furimitation leatherimpoverishintegumentivoryjacketkapoklay barelay openleatherleather paperleatheretteleatheroidlily
Related words (127)
lockslootmaggotmanemaraudmatmilkmopmulctnylonouter layerouter skinoverchargeoverpriceovertaxpack the dealpaperpearlpeltpeltry
Show 86 more words
pick cleanpigeonpilepillagepillowpluckplunderplushpractice fraud uponprey onprofiteerpubescencepubic hairpuddingpuffputtyraidrampransackravageravenravishrawhidereiveremoveriflerindrip offrobrookrope inrubbersacksatinscamscrewsell gold brickssetasetulashagshaveshearsheathsheetshockshortchangesilksilverskinskinssnowsoakspoilspoliatestack the cardsstealstickstingstripstrip baresuck drysurchargeswanswansdownsweatsweepswindletaketake a divetegumentthatchthimblerigthistledownthrow a fighttressesuncloakuncoverunsheatheunveilvairvelvetvictimizewaxwhitewoolzephyr
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: wool, alabaster, bare, beat, beguile.
- Sentence evidence is available for fleece, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "fleece".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "fleece"
Keep "fleece" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "fleece" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "fleece", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "fleece" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
17 entriesShowing 16 of 17 words.
More specific
7 entriesCollocations
11 entriescarded fleecefleece a customerfleece blanketfleece fabricfleece investorsfleece jacketfleece someonefleece the publicfleecing operationfleecy liningsheep fleece
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesTranslations
11 translations across 9 languages.
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 抓绒衣 noun (insulating woolly jacket)
Czech
1 entries- flís noun (insulating woolly jacket)
Finnish
3 entries- fleece noun (insulating woolly jacket)
- fleecetakki noun (insulating woolly jacket)
- fliisi noun (insulating woolly jacket)
French
1 entries- polaire noun (insulating woolly jacket)
German
1 entries- Fleecejacke noun (insulating woolly jacket)
Icelandic
1 entries- flíspeysa noun (insulating woolly jacket)
Italian
1 entries- pile noun (insulating woolly jacket)
Korean
1 entries- 플리스 noun (insulating woolly jacket)
Romanian
1 entries- polar noun (insulating woolly jacket)
Sample sentences
15 total sentences available.
Sheep are bred for their fleece and their meat.
Source: tatoeba (676927)
Mary had a little lamb, whose fleece was white as snow.
Source: tatoeba (2710037)
Sheep need to be kept dry for two days before shearing to enable the fleece to be removed and pressed once the sheep have been shorn.
Source: tatoeba (3104471)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "fleece"?
Closest matches include wool, alabaster, bare, beat, beguile.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "fleece"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.