bear
verb (used with object)
to hold up; support.
Showing results for bear.
Search instead for
bejar.
Trivia Time
Which star pattern forms part of the Great Bear constellation?
bear
1 American
[bair]
/ bɛər /
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 (oneself ).
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]
/ bɛər /
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]
/ bɛər /
noun
bear
1
British
/ bɛə /
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
/ bɛə /
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
/ bɛə /
noun
-
the English name for Ursa Major Ursa Minor
-
an informal name for Russia
bear
More Idioms
Usage
What’s the difference between bear and bare? As a verb, bear commonly means to endure something negative (as in I can’t bear to watch) or to carry, hold up, or support (as in The roof can’t 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. Here’s 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 “to bring forth (young)” 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 “by birth,” “innate,” or “native”: 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)bären, Russian berët “(he) takes,” Albanian bie, Tocharian pär-, Phrygian ab-beret “(he) brings,” Latin ferre, Old Irish berid “(he) carries,” Armenian berem, Greek phérein, Sanskrit bhárati, 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 bār, Dutch beer, Old High German bero, German Bär; from Proto-Germanic beran- literally, “the brown one”; akin to Old Norse bjǫrn, bersi; compare Lithuanian bė́ras “brown”; 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 — an investor who is pessimistic about the market. In its verb form, bear is rooted in the Old English beran, meaning “to bring forth, sustain, endure” 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 – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Commonly Confused Words, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Banana Tree," Vocabulary from the short story
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
That said, “in our view this does not make for a particularly satisfying equity market bear case,” as AI will deliver a payoff over a longer time horizon, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
In the U.S., people with limited English proficiency bear the most risk.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
"The Prime Minister extends his condolences to the bereaved families and prays for them to have the strength and patience to bear this irreparable loss," the statement said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
The stories assembled here bear out the editors’ appraisal, though, as with all collections, some offerings are better than others.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
With a single snap of his powerful jaws, Wolf tore the ravenskin pouch from her belt -knocking her off her feet, out of reach of the bear -then sped out of the cave.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Jackie’s longtime mate, Shadow, remains in Big Bear, and appears to be healthy, Fish and Wildlife said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
He offers the same recommendation when BofA’s Bull & Bear Indicator, a composite measure, rises above 8.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
He offers the same recommendation when BofA’s Bull & Bear Indicator, a composite measure, rises above 5.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
Gary Simms, a Cowbridge local, also had a picture with the actor when he saw him in the Bear Hotel on Sunday evening, the night before filming.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
By Monday, Bear Stearns was of course gone, too, sold to J.P.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
But a U.S. agency said almost two-thirds of current offshore oil output was shut-in as of Thursday morning as Hurricane Isaias bears down on the Gulf Coast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Sightings of bears around humans are becoming more common in Mongolia, for reasons that include climate change and food scarcity.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The documents said that would be "crucial in establishing a mental health defense", adding that "bears on the issue of guilt".
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Also, while bears have constantly cited narrow market breadth as a cause for concern, this has been the case throughout the last four years of this bull market.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
Her windowsill is covered in flowers, cards, and a few stuffed teddy bears.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
It appears that most of those terrestrial planets don't -- they're just bare rock.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
No one sits staring mournfully at the bare lacquered table.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
"My dad passed away when I was very young, and my mom did everything she could to provide for us, often with just the bare minimum," says Wally.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
The wars in Iran and Ukraine have laid bare the fragility of energy supply chains, and Greece is positioning itself to become a key hub in southeastern Europe for natural gas transport.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
Her arms were covered, except that the forearms were bare and blotchy.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
“He just beared down and made pitches when he needed to,” manager Dave Roberts said, “versus feeling it with the mechanics or being uncertain.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
“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 ● Mar. 29, 2022
“The guys put their mind to it and beared down. Kind of: ‘Enough’s enough,’” Reid said.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2021
Wrestling fans around the world beared witness to some of the most iconic moments in WWE history at Sunday night’s edition of WrestleMania.
From Fox News ● Apr. 8, 2019
After a hesitation, he turned back to Kira and said in a low voice, ‘‘I beared them talking.
From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry
Pacific Time holding green baseball caps bearing the word “thinking” and the Claude logo sewn discreetly on the side of the caps.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Trucks bearing the nations' flags began moving in both directions late morning, AFP reporters at the scene said, some of the North Korean vehicles decorated with flowers.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Quen was identified in July thanks to a scrap of paper bearing his name that was found with his remains, and DNA samples that matched his relatives.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
The stand bearing his name was emblazoned with a 'CTID' - City 'Til I Die - mosaic, while the build-up to kick-off saw a display of fireworks and pyrotechnics worthy of several rock concerts.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Senior had swum up below and was bearing me up!
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
Seoul and Tokyo again bore the brunt of the selling as traders bailed out of once-imperious chipmakers, though the selling was heavy across most of the region, tracking sharp losses on Wall Street.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
In the first half of 2026, almost every sixth car sold in Britain bore a Chinese brand, according to Schmidt Automotive Research, a higher proportion than in any other European country except Norway.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
"This lovely little jaw caused great confusion when it was first found as it bore no resemblance to any known species," she said.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
At the beginning of the year, the rotation bore the brunt of the injury bug, with left-hander Blake Snell and right-hander Tyler Glasnow missing months of the season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
Four more sons I bore in as many years—Thambi, Murugan, Raja and Selvam.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
The light captured by Webb in 2023, which provided the observations used in the study, had actually left the brown dwarf during the year Schrader was born.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
"He's the opposite of me. So relaxed. He's a natural born traitor."
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
This is something Rodriguez, who is half Puerto Rican and half Dominican, born and raised in the States, also personally relates to.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Mr. Musk has promised, perhaps optimistically, that within six to 12 months Neuralink will have a device capable of transmitting visual data into the brains of people born blind.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
And sometimes the families we build are just as strong as those we’re born into.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Michigan’s manufacturing supply chains are deeply integrated with Canada, and small businesses especially have borne the tariff brunt since they have less capacity to absorb the costs than larger companies do.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
That is borne out in research, which shows relational organizing works because young people trust their neighbors or community networks far more than national parties.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
"To see those predictions borne out is a beautiful thing."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
Supporters of Botswana's hunting policy, however, argue that international criticism often overlooks the costs borne by rural communities living alongside one of the world's biggest concentrations of elephants.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
In the town of Ravenel, ten thousand dreams hovered over the town each night and ten thousand died each morning, their washed-out corpses borne away for burial at sea by the first breeze.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
