are
1 Americanverb
noun
verb
noun
Etymology
Origin of are1
First recorded before 900; Middle English aren, are, arn, Old English (Northumbrian) aron; cognate with Old Norse eru, 3rd person plural; replacing Old English bēoth, sind; cf. art 2
Origin of are2
First recorded in 1810–20; from French, from Latin ārea “vacant piece of level ground, open space in a town, threshing floor”; see area
Explanation
Are is the plural of "is" and "am," a form of the most common verb "be." He is going, but we are going. Are is also used with you, as in, "Are you going to the movies?" In English, the forms of be break down like this: "I am; you are; he is; we are; they are; you (more than one of you) are." Are, of course, is only used when you are talking about things that are happening now. When they already happened, the word is were: we are here now, but we were there yesterday. Are is also a metric measurement equal to 100 square meters, but the unit is rarely used these days.
Vocabulary lists containing are
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Vocelle finds criticism that cat dads are seen as feminine, neurotic or less desirable as a relatively modern and unfounded affliction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
“If any of these descriptors are used, it would be, in my mind, because most of the great cat lovers have been artists, who are naturally more sensitive.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
“I feel like if you are a cat person or a dog person, definitely put that on your dating app,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
But now that we know that cats are attempting to communicate with us, is there a way for pet caregivers to better understand what a cat is attempting to say?
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
There are high-rise offices and impressive, colorful buildings, like the Metropolitan Theater, Crystal Arcade, and Jai Alai Building, a sports complex that is considered the finest art deco building in Asia.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.