a structural wall design to resist lateral forces. Shear walls are designed to resist lateral forces commonly caused by earthquakes.

A vertical wall that adds stiffness and rigidity to a structure, usually made of concrete in commercial structures.

A wall which resists horizontal forces applied in the plane of the wall.

A bearing wall designed to resist lateral forces from other than its own mass, acting in the plane of the wall.

Wall which is designed to add stiffness to a stud wall so that it can resist sideways or horizontal loads by mounting plywood sheathing from the bottom plate to the top plate and nailing it in place as shown by the shear schedule in the plans.

In structural engineering, a shear wall is a wall composed of braced panels (also known as shear panels) to counter the effects of lateral loads acting on a structure. Wind and earthquake loads are the most common loads braced wall lines are designed to counteract. Under several building codes, including the International Building Code (where it is called a braced wall line) and Uniform Building Code, all exterior wall lines in wood or steel frame construction must be braced.