fleece

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: the coat of wool covering a wool-bearing animal (such as a sheep)
b
: the wool obtained from a sheep at one shearing
2
a
: any of various soft or woolly coverings
b
: a soft bulky deep-piled knitted or woven fabric used chiefly for clothing

fleece

2 of 2

verb

fleeced; fleecing

transitive verb

1
a
: to strip of money or property by fraud or extortion
b
: to charge excessively for goods or services
2
: to remove the fleece from : shear
3
: to dot or cover with fleecy masses

Examples of fleece in a Sentence

Noun learning how to shear the fleece off a sheep Verb Don't let that salesman fleece you. an unsuspecting tourist fleeced by a scam artist
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The references to finance bro fleeces and Eighties power suits being flipped or exaggerated align with her signature aesthetic. Rhonda Richford, WWD, 12 Mar. 2025 Similar arguments have ensued over whether a Snuggie — the oversized fleece robes with sleeves and hoods — is a blanket or a garment, which would carry different duty rates. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
Christina Ortiz, an 18-year veteran, was honored in 2022 by police brass for protecting an elderly woman who was being fleeced by a menacing con man and for solving a brother-on-brother stabbing. Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025 All of this is in addition to the political and moral case for FCPA enforcement, that the United States should not turn a blind eye to companies that encourage and support corrupt foreign officials who fleece their own citizens. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fleece

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English flees, from Old English flēos; akin to Middle High German vlius fleece and perhaps to Latin pluma feather, down

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fleece was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fleece.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fleece. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

fleece

1 of 2 noun
1
: the woolly coat of an animal (as a sheep)
2
a
: any of various soft or woolly coverings
b
: a soft bulky knitted or woven fabric used especially for clothing
fleecy
ˈflē-sē
adjective

fleece

2 of 2 verb
fleeced; fleecing
1
: to rob by trickery
2
: to remove the fleece from : shear

More from Merriam-Webster on fleece

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!