sheer + noun

Hi

The word 'sheer' is being used there as an intensifier. It just means that the pace of change was really noticeable. We all had to really sit up and think "Wow, things are changing!"

I can't think of a synonym. If I had to reword it, I'd probably change the sentence round and use an adverb ...

- We were utterly staggered by the pace of change

Dave

Dave, thanks, but I still can't get the meaning of 'the sheer pace' in this context. We've got 'staggering' in the sentence for that purpose (to describe the pace).
Secondly, if we consider 'sheer' to be attributive used to emphasize how great, important, or exceptional something is, than the whole sentence should be rephrased. I mean something like in the following examples:

The

Hi

I do think that the writer is trying to put too much emphasis in the sentence. The pace was sheer; we were staggered. We probably don't need both ways of saying how exceptional it was

In the two examples you give there, 'sheer' is an almost exact synonym of 'pure'. These are good ...

- The suggestion is pure nonsense
- His success was due to pure determination

Hi

I risk getting shot down in flames here. The word 'sheer' comes to English from two different sources. It is the Anglo-Saxon root for something that shines: "That was sheer brilliance." It is also the - probably Viking - root for something that drops downs in a very direct way: "Don't go near the edge - that's a sheer drop"

Idiomatically, it sometimes works as a synonym for