bear
verb (used with object)
to hold up; support.
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beared.
bear
1 American
[bair]
/ bษษr /
verb (used with object)
bore,
bare,
borne,
born,
bearing
-
to hold up; support.
to bear the weight of the roof.
-
to hold or remain firm under (a load).
The roof will not bear the strain of his weight.
-
to bring forth (young); give birth to.
to bear a child.
-
to produce by natural growth.
a tree that bears fruit.
- Synonyms:
- yield
-
to hold up under; be capable of.
His claim doesn't bear close examination.
-
to press or push against.
The crowd was borne back by the police.
-
to hold or carry (oneself, one's body, one's head, etc.).
to bear oneself erectly.
-
to conduct (oneselfโ).
to bear oneself bravely.
-
to bear the blame.
-
to sustain without yielding or suffering injury; tolerate (usually used in negative constructions, unless qualified).
I can't bear your nagging. I can hardly bear to see her suffering so.
-
to be fit for or worthy of.
It doesn't bear repeating.
-
to carry; bring.
to bear gifts.
-
to carry in the mind or heart: to bear malice.
to bear love;
to bear malice.
-
to transmit or spread (gossip, tales, etc.).
-
to render; afford; give: to bear testimony.
to bear witness;
to bear testimony.
-
to lead; guide; take.
They bore him home.
-
to have and be entitled to.
to bear title.
-
to bear a resemblance.
-
to accept or have, as an obligation: to bear the cost.
to bear responsibility;
to bear the cost.
-
to stand in (a relation or ratio); have or show correlatively.
the relation that price bears to profit.
-
to possess, as a quality or characteristic; have in or on: to bear an inscription.
to bear traces;
to bear an inscription.
-
to have and use; exercise: to bear sway.
to bear authority;
to bear sway.
verb (used without object)
bore,
bare,
borne,
born,
bearing
-
to tend in a course or direction; move; go: to bear left at the fork in the road.
to bear west;
to bear left at the fork in the road.
-
to be located or situated.
The lighthouse bears due north.
-
to bring forth young or fruit.
Next year the tree will bear.
verb phrase
-
bear with to be patient or forbearing with.
Please bear with me until I finish the story.
-
bear down on / upon
-
to press or weigh down on.
-
to strive toward.
-
to approach something rapidly.
-
Nautical. to approach (another vessel) from windward.
The sloop bore down on us, narrowly missing our stern.
-
-
bear up to endure; face hardship bravely.
It is inspiring to see them bearing up so well.
-
bear out to substantiate; confirm.
The facts bear me out.
-
bear off
-
Nautical. to keep (a boat) from touching or rubbing against a dock, another boat, etc.
-
Nautical. to steer away.
-
Backgammon. to remove the stones from the board after they are all home.
-
-
bear on / upon to affect, relate to, or have connection with; be relevant to.
This information may bear on the case.
-
bear down
-
to press or weigh down.
-
to strive harder; intensify one's efforts.
We can't hope to finish unless everyone bears down.
-
Nautical. to approach from windward, as a ship.
The cutter was bearing down the channel at twelve knots.
-
idioms
-
bear false witness. see bear false witness.
-
bring to bear, to concentrate on with a specific purpose.
Pressure was brought to bear on those with overdue accounts.
-
bear witness. see bear witness.
bear
2
American
[bair]
/ bษษr /
noun
-
bears,
plural
-
bear
plural
-
any of the plantigrade, carnivorous or omnivorous mammals of the family Ursidae, having massive bodies, coarse heavy fur, relatively short limbs, and almost rudimentary tails.
-
any of various animals resembling the bear, as the ant bear.
-
a gruff, burly, clumsy, bad-mannered, or rude person.
-
a person who believes that market prices, especially of stocks, will decline (opposed to bull).
-
Informal. a person who shows great ability, enthusiasm, stamina, etc..
a bear for physics.
-
Astronomy. Bear, either of two constellations, Ursa Major or Ursa Minor.
-
Informal. a player at cards who rarely bluffs.
-
Bear. Russia.
adjective
verb (used with object)
beared,
bearing
idioms
Bear
3
American
[bair]
/ bษษr /
noun
bear
1
British
/ bษษ /
verb
-
to support or hold up; sustain
-
to bring or convey
to bear gifts
-
to take, accept, or assume the responsibility of
to bear an expense
-
(past participle bornin passive use except when foll by by) to give birth to
to bear children
-
(also intr) to produce by or as if by natural growth
to bear fruit
-
to tolerate or endure
she couldn't bear him
-
to admit of; sustain
his story does not bear scrutiny
-
to hold in the conscious mind or in one's feelings
to bear a grudge
I'll bear that idea in mind
-
to show or be marked with
he still bears the scars
-
to transmit or spread
to bear gossip
-
to render or supply (esp in the phrase bear witness )
-
to conduct or manage (oneself, the body, etc)
she bore her head high
-
to have, be, or stand in (relation or comparison)
his account bears no relation to the facts
-
(intr) to move, be located, or lie in a specified direction
the way bears east
-
to have by right; be entitled to (esp in the phrase bear title )
-
to give assistance
-
to bring into operation or effect
he brought his knowledge to bear on the situation
bear
2
British
/ bษษ /
noun
-
any plantigrade mammal of the family Ursidae : order Carnivora (carnivores). Bears are typically massive omnivorous animals with a large head, a long shaggy coat, and strong claws See also black bear brown bear polar bear
-
any of various bearlike animals, such as the koala and the ant bear
-
a clumsy, churlish, or ill-mannered person
-
a teddy bear
-
stock exchange
-
a speculator who sells in anticipation of falling prices to make a profit on repurchase
-
( as modifier ) Compare bull 1
a bear market
-
verb
Bear
3
British
/ bษษ /
noun
-
the English name for Ursa Major Ursa Minor
-
an informal name for Russia
bear
More Idioms
Usage
Whatโs the difference between bear and bare? As a verb, bear commonly means to endure something negative (as in I canโt bear to watch) or to carry, hold up, or support (as in The roof canโt bear that much weight), while as a noun it refers to the big furry animal (like grizzly bears and polar bears). Bare can be an adjective that means uncovered (as in bare feet) or empty or without the usual contents (as in bare cabinets or bare walls), or a verb meaning to reveal or open to view (as in bare your secrets). Bare is most commonly used as an adjective, usually involving something uncovered or empty. As a verb, bear is often used in the context of holding or carrying things, including in literal, physical ways (as in bear a load or bear weight) and in figurative ones (as in bear a grudge). To remember the difference in spelling, remember that bears have ears, and they are able to bear a lot of weight because of how big and strong they are, but they are never bare because they are covered in fur. Hereโs an example of bear and bare used correctly in a sentence. Example: Why does the bear never wear shoes? Because he prefers bare feet. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between bear and bare.
Commonly Confused
Since the latter part of the 18th century, a distinction has been made between born and borne as past participles of the verb bear1 . Borne is the past participle in all senses that do not refer to physical birth: The wheatfields have borne abundantly this year. Judges have always borne a burden of responsibility. Borne is also the participle when the sense is โto bring forth (young)โ and the focus is on the mother rather than on the child. In such cases, borne is preceded by a form of have or followed by by: Anna had borne a son the previous year. Two children borne by her earlier were already grown. When the focus is on the offspring or on something brought forth as if by birth, born is the standard spelling, and it occurs only in passive constructions: My friend was born in Ohio. No children have been born at the South Pole. A strange desire was born of the tragic experience. Born is also an adjective meaning โby birth,โ โinnate,โ or โnativeโ: born free; a born troublemaker; Mexican-born.
Synonym Usage
Bear, stand, endure refer to supporting the burden of something distressing, irksome, or painful. Bear and stand are close synonyms and have a general sense of withstanding: to bear a disappointment well; to stand a loss. Endure implies continued resistance and patience in bearing through a long time: to endure torture.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of bear1
First recorded before 900; Middle English beren, Old English beran; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German beran, Dutch baren, Old Frisian, Old Norse bera, Gothic bairan, German (ge)bรคren, Russian berรซt โ(he) takes,โ Albanian bie, Tocharian pรคr-, Phrygian ab-beret โ(he) brings,โ Latin ferre, Old Irish berid โ(he) carries,โ Armenian berem, Greek phรฉrein, Sanskrit bhรกrati, Avestan baraiti; from Indo-European bher- ( see -fer, -phore)
Origin of bear2
First recorded before 1000; Middle English bere, beare, beor(e), Old English bera; cognate with Frisian bฤr, Dutch beer, Old High German bero, German Bรคr; from Proto-Germanic beran- literally, โthe brown oneโ; akin to Old Norse bjวซrn, bersi; compare Lithuanian beฬฬras โbrownโ; cf. bruin
Explanation
To bear is to carry or endure, whether by physical or mental force. If you can bear to read on, you'll find out all the different ways to use the word bear. Obviously you know the big hairy mountain-roaming animal, but you might not have heard about a bear on Wall Street โ an investor who is pessimistic about the market. In its verb form, bear is rooted in the Old English beran, meaning โto bring forth, sustain, endureโ and more. So you can bear (or carry) a grudge. You can bear (or give birth to) children. Or you can bear (or stand) to listen to your great aunt tell the same story for the umpteenth time if you have a kind soul.
Vocabulary lists containing bear
ACT Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com โ one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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"The Banana Tree," Vocabulary from the short story
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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.
See Examples For:
Arsenal's interest in Atletico Madrid's Argentina forward Julian Alvarez did not bear fruit, despite their attempts to persuade him away from his preferred destination of Barcelona.
From BBC โ Sep. 2, 2026
The burden of the Angels’ failures has been disproportionately his to bear.
From Los Angeles Times โ Sep. 2, 2026
Voters who rely on mail ballots would bear the consequences.
From Slate โ Aug. 31, 2026
But many small and medium-size Canadian business owners are expected to bear the brunt of the pain, and some fear they could be put out of business without a resolution to the trade spat.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 30, 2026
It was the only reference he made to the bear.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Daniel Mawer, who runs the Polar Bear Music Club in Hull, says the Panic at the Emo! night the club hosts is "one of my favourite shows to work at".
From BBC โ Aug. 30, 2026
Edgar Kaufmann Sr. wanted to build a new weekend house for his property at Bear Run, a densely wooded site without dramatic vistas.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 28, 2026
The unveiling of a blue plaque at the former Surrey home of Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond was a "lovely" occasion with an unexpected surprise, the organiser has said.
From BBC โ Aug. 22, 2026
Fans of Gordon Ramsay shows and The Bear might be especially interested in this one.
From Slate โ Aug. 19, 2026
After that, the men in the room rushed for the exits, apparently to sell their shares in Bear Stearns.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
The common man just grins and bears the metal scaler scraping his teeth.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Sep. 1, 2026
Then, crews from the Urban Search and Rescue team worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to drain the tank and help save the remaining bears from drowning, officials said.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 30, 2026
Mornings at Dollywood were spent wandering the now-relocated bald eagle sanctuary and crafting village, afternoons were spent riding black bears, coasters and log flumes.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 26, 2026
The Aug. 5 letter followed that guide by setting a deadline for a response from Cook and arguing that her alleged conduct bears on her honesty and competence as a financial regulator.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 26, 2026
“Sometimes polar bears bust right into houses, looking for food,” Owen added.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Trans comedian Jordan Gray is extremely unafraid to bare it all, including her soul, when behind the piano.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 25, 2026
Focaccia has become de facto sandwich bread or makeshift pizza crust elsewhere in Italy, but it tends to be bare bones in Genoa, where it has been made since the Middle Ages.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 23, 2026
What these apps do best is lay bare the ways in which our entire economy is structured like a betting app strung together by incentive perverts.
From Salon โ Aug. 12, 2026
With little visibility -- battery-powered torches being the only sources of light -- she helped to deliver the babies using her bare hands.
From Barron's โ Aug. 12, 2026
Meanwhile, Oliver over there still had bare hands.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Making things all the more difficult was the culpability that some players beared for the team’s fortunes.
From Los Angeles Times โ Sep. 17, 2025
“We found ourselves in a two-possession game in the fourth quarter, and we beared down and won the game,” South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley said on Friday.
From New York Times โ Mar. 29, 2022
“The guys put their mind to it and beared down. Kind of: ‘Enough’s enough,’” Reid said.
From Seattle Times โ Oct. 17, 2021
“We had a couple of opportunities to strike when we had some baserunners on. It seems like when we got to those positions, that’s when their guys beared down and made some pitches.”
From Washington Times โ Oct. 9, 2020
After a hesitation, he turned back to Kira and said in a low voice, ‘‘I beared them talking.
From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry
On their way off the tarmac, they were greeted by a troupe of folk dance performers and flanked by two rows of teenagers wearing T-shirts bearing photos of Xi.
From Barron's โ Sep. 2, 2026
A week or two prior, he said, an out-of-control motorist nearly plowed into the statue of Amelia Earhart that sits next to a library bearing the famous aviator’s name.
From Los Angeles Times โ Sep. 1, 2026
He also honored journalist Hunter S. Thompson and actor Marlon Brando with beaches bearing their names.
From MarketWatch โ Sep. 1, 2026
Two seats remain empty for the service, bearing the names of Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby.
From BBC โ Aug. 31, 2026
A maid barged in, bearing a pile of fresh towels.
From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck
While in the field, we encountered bore holes from bauxite mining exploration.
From Science Daily โ Aug. 28, 2026
It was Seoul that bore the brunt of Pyongyang's ire following these summits.
From BBC โ Aug. 20, 2026
Within hours of erupting, the fire bore down on homes around the popular resorts of Siviri and Fourka, which are packed with summer tourists.
From Barron's โ Aug. 13, 2026
Skubal bore down and got out of the inning with a flyout from Taylor.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 5, 2026
Letter paper was scarce in Plinkst, but she had found a stack of yellowed sheets in the nursery that still bore the faded trace of Master Gogolev’s handwriting.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Hung Cao was born in Vietnam and resettled as a refugee in the United States in 1975.
From Barron's โ Sep. 2, 2026
“I was born with obsessive-compulsive disorder. They didn’t figure that out until later, but the signs were there,” she shared.
From MarketWatch โ Sep. 2, 2026
For people born east of the Mississippi, Western art is one of those Potter Stewart things: They know it when they see it.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Sep. 1, 2026
It explains that the father, Gary, donated "part of his liver and bowel" in a transplant for his son Harry who "was born with bowel abnormalities".
From BBC โ Sep. 1, 2026
I was born in the magic, trapped inside of it.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
This means many of the losses incurred in the attacks have been borne by those businesses.
From BBC โ Aug. 24, 2026
Fortunately, these investors’ worries are not borne out by the data.
From MarketWatch โ Aug. 22, 2026
L.A. has borne witness to nothing but stars over the years.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 17, 2026
The editorial’s concerns over stablecoin rewards and their risk to bank deposits aren’t borne out by recent data.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 6, 2026
This Linus was, like Adonis and Hyacinthus, a type of all lovely young life that dies or is withered before it has borne fruit.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, ยฉ Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritageยฎ Idioms Dictionary copyright ยฉ 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
