bearing

American  

[bair-ing] / ˈbɛər ɪŋ /

noun

• bearings
  plural

1. the manner in which one conducts or carries oneself, including posture and gestures.

   a man of dignified bearing.

   Synonyms:

   conduct, behavior, demeanor, mien, carriage

2. the act, capability, or period of producing or bringing forth.

   a tree past bearing.

3. something that is produced; a crop.

4. the act of enduring or capacity to endure.

5. reference or relation (usually followed byon ).

   It has some bearing on the problem.

   Synonyms:

   application, dependency, connection

6. Architecture.

   1. a supporting part of a structure.

   2. the area of contact between a bearing member, as a beam, and a pier, wall, or other underlying support.

7. Machinery. the support and guide for a rotating, oscillating, or sliding shaft, pivot, or wheel.

8. Often bearings. direction or relative position.

   The pilot radioed his bearings.

   Synonyms:

   aim, course

9. Surveying. a horizontal direction expressed in degrees east or west of a true or magnetic north or south direction.

10. Heraldry. any single device on an escutcheon; charge.

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bearing British  

/ ˈbɛərɪŋ /

noun

1. a support, guide, or locating piece for a rotating or reciprocating mechanical part

2. relevance (to)

   it has no bearing on this problem

3. a person's general social conduct, esp in manners, dress, and behaviour

4. 1. the act, period, or capability of producing fruit or young

   2. an amount produced; yield

5. the part of a beam or lintel that rests on a support

6. anything that carries weight or acts as a support

7. the angular direction of a line, point, or course measured from true north or south ( true bearing ), magnetic north or south ( magnetic bearing ), or one's own position

8. (usually plural) the position or direction, as of a ship, fixed with reference to two or more known points

9. (usually plural) a sense of one's relative position or situation; orientation (esp in the phrases lose , get , or take one's bearings )

10. heraldry

    1. a device or emblem on a heraldic shield; charge

    2. another name for coat of arms

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Synonym Usage

See manner ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unbearing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• bearings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bearing

First recorded in 1200–50, bearing is from the Middle English word beryng. See bear ¹, -ing ¹

Explanation

When you walk into a room with your shoulders straight and your head up, people might say you have a noble bearing. Bearing is the way you hold your body, and it often means you hold it well. Bearing has many uses, but they mostly involve support and/or direction. Bearing, for example, is the name given to a mechanical part that supports a moving joint — like a ball bearing. In buildings, bearings are walls or beams that support the building. In the same way, when you carry your body, you are bearing yourself up. Bearing also is used to talk about direction and travel: you could step off the sidewalk and nearly be run over by a car bearing north.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bearing bearings

"The discoveries from the excavations, especially coins bearing Homer's likeness, show us that the inhabitants of ancient Smyrna considered the poet to be one of their own," archaeologist Mehmet Akif Erdem said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

I was aware of bearing an adult burden.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Even if he were actually talented at the former, which he is not, it would have no bearing on the latter, and the consequences of that are turning out to be substantial and damaging.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026

The jacket belonged to his late father, whom he remembers hovering over a record player, bearing songs from a more thrilling world.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Ordinarily, the words should have vanished and the landscape spun to reveal a pyramid bearing the film’s title, but Boris Karloff’s name did not leave the screen, and he wondered whether Molly had hit pause.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Then on Monday he posted a video to Telegram filmed in Paris, saying: "Right now, I need to get my bearings and figure out what to do next. I'll write about my plans later."

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

The next big bottleneck trade might have more to do with bearings than microchips.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

The parts housing the bearings helped hold the jet’s underwing engines in place.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

Boston and New York, a newly mature MTT found his bearings, no longer the next Leonard Bernstein but the first and only Michael Tilson Thomas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026

As if she’d lose her bearings that easily.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Related Words

• demeanor
• manner