bring
Americanverb (used with object)
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brings,
present (3rd person singular)
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brought,
past participle, past
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bringing
present participle
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to carry, convey, conduct, or cause (someone or something) to come with, to, or toward the speaker.
Bring the suitcase to my house.
He brought his brother to my office.
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to cause to come to or toward oneself; attract.
Her scream brought the police.
He brought honor to his family by his heroism.
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to cause to occur or exist.
The medication brought instant relief.
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to cause to come into a particular position, state, or effect.
to bring the car to a stop.
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to cause to appear or occur in the mind; evoke or recall.
The letter brought her memories of youth.
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to persuade, convince, compel, or induce.
She couldn't bring herself to sell the painting.
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to sell for; fetch.
These lamps will bring a good price.
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Law. to commence.
to bring an action for damages.
verb phrase
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bring off to accomplish, carry out, or achieve (something).
He brought off his speech with ease.
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bring forward
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to bring to view; show.
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to present for consideration; adduce.
to bring forward an opinion.
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bring down
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to injure, capture, or kill.
He brought down several ducks on his last hunting trip.
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to lessen; reduce.
I won't buy that lamp unless they bring down the price.
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Slang. to cause to be in low spirits; depress.
The bad news brought him down.
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bring up
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to care for during childhood; rear.
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to introduce or mention for attention, discussion, action, or consideration.
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to vomit.
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to stop or cause to stop quickly.
to bring up a car at the curb.
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Nautical. (of a vessel) to cause to halt, as by lowering an anchor or running aground; fetch up.
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bring forth
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to give birth to; deliver; bear.
to bring forth a son.
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to give rise to; introduce.
to bring forth a proposal for reducing costs.
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bring to
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to bring back to consciousness; revive.
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Nautical. to head (a vessel) close to or into the wind so as to halt.
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bring on
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to cause to happen or exist; bring about.
This incident will surely bring on a crisis.
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to introduce; cause to appear.
Bring on the clowns.
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bring in
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to yield, as profits or income.
My part-time job doesn't bring in much, but I enjoy it.
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to present officially; submit.
The jury brought in its verdict.
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to cause to operate or yield.
They brought in a gusher on his property.
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to present for consideration, approval, etc.; introduce.
She brought in six new members last month.
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bring out
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to expose; reveal.
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to make noticeable or conspicuous in a contrast.
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to publish, as a book or play.
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to introduce officially into society.
to bring out a debutante.
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bring about to accomplish; cause.
Land reform brought about a great change in the lives of the common people.
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bring around / round
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to convince of a belief or opinion; persuade.
I think we can bring him around to agreeing with the plan.
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to restore to consciousness, as after a faint.
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to bring as a visitor.
They brought around a new employee this morning.
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verb
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to carry, convey, or take (something or someone) to a designated place or person
bring that book to me
will you bring Jessica to Tom's party?
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to cause to happen or occur to (oneself or another)
to bring disrespect on oneself
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to cause to happen as a consequence
responsibility brings maturity
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to cause to come to mind
it brought back memories
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to cause to be in a certain state, position, etc
the punch brought him to his knees
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to force, persuade, or make (oneself)
I couldn't bring myself to do it
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to sell for; fetch
the painting brought 20 pounds
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law
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to institute (proceedings, charges, etc)
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to put (evidence, etc) before a tribunal
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to give birth to
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to convince of
his account brought home to us the gravity of the situation
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to place the blame on
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See bear 1
Synonym Usage
Bring, fetch, take imply conveying or conducting in relation to the place where the speaker is. To bring is simply to convey or conduct: Bring it to me. I'm permitted to bring my dog here with me. It is the opposite of take, which means to convey or conduct away from the place where the speaker is: Bring it back here. Take it back there. Fetch means to go, get, and bring back: Fetch me that bottle.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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bringsimple
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bringssimple
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have broughtperfect
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has broughtperfect
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am bringingprogressive
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are bringingprogressive
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is bringingprogressive
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have been bringingperfect progressive
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has been bringingperfect progressive
Past
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broughtsimple
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had broughtperfect
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was bringingprogressive
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were bringingprogressive
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had been bringingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of bring
First recorded before 950; Middle English bringen, Old English bringan; cognate with Dutch brengen, German bringen, Gothic briggan
Explanation
To bring something is to carry or convey it somewhere. A trained dog will bring back a stick. The verb bring "carries" the idea of conveying something. You might ask a friend to bring you to school, and you might bring your friend cookies as a thank you. You could bring a legal suit against someone, or bring yourself to do something unpleasant. Good fortune might bring you happiness, while a hunter might bring down their prey with one shot. The number seven is supposed to bring good luck. The slang expression “bring it” means to do your best.
Vocabulary lists containing bring
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:
“Los Angeles has been through so much over the past several years, but the city is resilient. You simply can’t recreate this city anywhere else, and I’m excited to bring Cher home.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
"Nothing will bring Chloe back. She was a much-loved daughter, sister and friend, and the loss we feel every day is immeasurable," they added.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Kevin Warsh, the new chairman of the Federal Reserve, vows that he’s going to do his darndest to bring inflation back down to the central bank’s official 2% target.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
It’s important to be able to talk in that way and bring the debate actually away from arcane interpretation and back towards: So what are we even doing in the first place here?
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
If he was lucky, a fox might come along in the night and bring down the rock.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Under slightly different circumstances, it’s a storyline that could belong to her “Shrinking” character, Gaby Evans, a therapist who brings her sunny demeanor, audacious sense of humor and enviable stores of energy into every room.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
"It brings so much emotion back that it really knocks you for six and you go into a really deep depression."
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Because the researchers used CVD-grown monolayer MoS2 rather than mechanically exfoliated flakes, they believe the approach brings the technology closer to materials and processes that could eventually be suitable for wafer-scale manufacturing.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
The organization brings together dozens of Black churches on social justice issues, including voter education.
From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026
Zayd runs into the garage and brings out his bike.
From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan
It unlocked a specific memory that would prove to be a crucial part of the evidence that brought their half-brother to justice.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” also brought out the masses, with the biggest domestic opening of all time, earning $360 million.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Several additional small telescopes will be brought to the observatory specifically for the eclipse.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026
When Netflix brought the Will Ferrell golf comedy “The Hawk” to the Woodland Hills Country Club last year, it was the first big production to shoot there in more than two years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
An elderly retired missionary was brought in, jaw quivering with fear.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
"The opposition alliance is bringing energy to their rallies and appealing to youth, women, and rural voters," Joseph Siegle, director of research at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
Gen Z-focused dating app Hinge is bringing its “No Ordinary Love” campaign to audiobooks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
So if she were due to receive $2,100 in spousal benefit, she would get a reduced top‑up, bringing her total benefit to the early‑filing amount.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
So it’s no surprise that the movement is responding to their current stress with fantasies about bringing back the glory days.
From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2026
The arrival of the new priest, scandalously young and bringing all the old ladies to mass several times a day.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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.
