\ ˈshēp
\
\
plural sheep
Definition of sheep
1
: any of various hollow-horned typically gregarious ruminant mammals (genus Ovis) related to the goats but stockier and lacking a beard in the male
specifically
: one (O. aries) long domesticated especially for its flesh and wool
2a
: a timid defenseless creature
b
: a timid docile person
especially
: one easily influenced or led
3
: leather prepared from the skins of sheep : sheepskin
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Examples of sheep in a Sentence
he came to see that the members of the cult were sheep who naively went along with whatever their leader dictated
Recent Examples on the Web
That's because animals like cattle, sheep and goats produce a lot of methane gas. — Leah Asmelash, CNN, "What you need to know about carbon footprints," 8 Sep. 2019 Gas-emitting bacteria naturally live in places low on oxygen, like wetlands and the stomachs of cattle, sheep and goats. — Irina Ivanova, CBS News, "Who are the biggest U.S. methane emitters?," 30 Aug. 2019 But in 1934, the federal government, as trustee, imposed a livestock-reduction policy because sheep and cattle were destroying the land through overgrazing. — Betty Reid, azcentral, "To Chester Nez, last of the original Code Talkers, the words are more than a code," 29 Aug. 2019 The second episode reveals how sheep dogs wrangle sheep and why roosters crow before dawn. — Los Angeles Times, "What’s on TV Friday: ‘Vice News Tonight’ on HBO," 29 Aug. 2019 For example, cattle prefer to lie on wood chips while sheep and goats prefer straw. — Zekriah Chaudhry, Twin Cities, "State Fair: Getting the animals in and out like a choreographed dance," 25 Aug. 2019 Yet the Sierra bighorn was nearly wiped out — down to 100 animals in the late 1990s — after exposure to disease from domestic sheep and predation by mountain lions. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "Bears, elk, sharks crown landmark wildlife surge," 17 Aug. 2019 Go to the farm exhibit building to see dairy and beef cattle being shown at noon today; swine, sheep and goats will be shown at noon Saturday. — Donna Freedman, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska State Fair 2019: Fun from A to Z," 15 Aug. 2019 Belle-Anderson, 17, is among five students from Milwaukee's Vincent High School who are showing sheep and cattle at this year's fair. — Annysa Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "'Like dealing with human beings:' Milwaukee Vincent students show livestock at State Fair," 7 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sheep.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for sheep
sheep
noun
English Language Learners Definition of sheep
: an animal with a thick woolly coat that is often raised for meat or for its wool and skin
: a person who does what other people say to do
See the full definition for sheep in the English Language Learners Dictionary
sheep
noun
\ ˈshēp
\
\
plural sheep
Kids Definition of sheep
1
: an animal related to the goat that is often raised for meat or for its wool and skin
2
: a weak helpless person who is easily led
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