bear
verb (used with object)
to hold up; support.
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to bear.
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:
So as you get older, your brain is less able to register these signals and may cause your joints to bear weight unevenly.
From Science Daily โ Aug. 16, 2026
A desperate ploy to end a long-running war took more from him than he could bear.
From Salon โ Aug. 16, 2026
Between the lack of sun below deck for some nonpilot personnel and rooms packed with triple-bunk beds, the conditions on vessels like the Lincoln can be difficult to bear.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 14, 2026
So the market timers’ lower average equity-exposure levels during the market’s best days may simply reflect the bear markets in which those days frequently occur.
From MarketWatch โ Aug. 14, 2026
The bear couldn’t have moved that fast, she thought numbly.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Regardless what happens next for the Big Bear nest, the livestream will stay active, said Jenny Voisard, spokesperson for Friends of Big Bear Valley.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 14, 2026
Hours after celebrity bald eagle Jackie’s death was announced Monday, a new beaked face showed up in the Big Bear nest she shared with her mate, Shadow.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 14, 2026
The 1,350-square-foot original structure boasts two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room with a glass wall and Bear Valley stone fireplace, and a kitchen with warm-wood cabinets.
From MarketWatch โ Aug. 11, 2026
The pair have now expanded that into a full-length show, working with Aberdeen Performing Arts, Dundee Rep and Solar Bear, a theatre company which works with both deaf and hearing performers.
From BBC โ Aug. 11, 2026
In just the past five years, Bear Stearns’s leverage had gone from 20:1 to 40:1.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
The lakes region Mr. Hoffman describes as “magnetic and mercurial” is home to bears, wolves, badgers, otters and a surprising variety of other creatures, yet their ways of life are being threatened.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 14, 2026
In Pereira, home to half a million people, every single street bears proof of what happened.
From Barron's โ Aug. 14, 2026
Once farmers and ranchers arrived in California, their stock of calves and pigs and crops were a bear buffet, and that got bears killed much more often than any unprovoked attacks on humans.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 13, 2026
About 250 polar bears were counted in the archipelago during the last scientific estimate, carried out in 2015.
From BBC โ Aug. 13, 2026
For letting me know it is wrong to throw sticks at four-hundred-pound bears?
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
Architect Dr Rachel O'Grady, who specialises in urban strategy, told BBC News NI "the bare bones of a really excellent city is there".
From BBC โ Aug. 10, 2026
Her bank accounts were stripped bare by Medicaid during her illness.
From MarketWatch โ Aug. 6, 2026
The day was sticky enough that the plastic adhered to my bare shoulder.
From Salon โ Aug. 4, 2026
On a beach in southern Romania, a few metres from the Danube shore, a boy sloshed his bare feet through water that only reached up to his ankles.
From Barron's โ Jul. 30, 2026
Then he’d reach down under the log and grab a fish in his big bare hands.
From "The Teacherโs Funeral" by Richard Peck
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
Hurricane Otis interrupted tropical vacations for some visitors and put a stop to a mining convention in Acapulco, Mexico, as the storm beared down on the city early Wednesday.
From New York Times โ Oct. 25, 2023
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 โ Apr. 8, 2019
“He gave up a lot of hits but beared down when he had to. He pitched well enough to win and he pitched well enough to lose. We just couldn’t score.”
From Washington Times โ Jun. 10, 2017
After a hesitation, he turned back to Kira and said in a low voice, ‘‘I beared them talking.
From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry
Pereira's worst affected neighborhoods were also its most impoverished, with homeless people, Venezuelan migrants and street vendors in precarious situations bearing the brunt of the impact.
From Barron's โ Aug. 14, 2026
“Run, Denise!” is the kind of unhelpful remark, delivered by Greg when his wife is already well aware that a T. rex is bearing down on her, that defines the dialogue.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 13, 2026
Weston also warned special administration could see taxpayers left bearing the cost.
From BBC โ Aug. 10, 2026
In all those incidents, bearing witness galvanized the public.
From Salon โ Aug. 6, 2026
Instead of carved letters bearing noble sentiments, there was only ivy.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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
They are rushing full bore toward that three-peat and, to the delight of the most appreciative fans in baseball, nothing is going to get in their way.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 2, 2026
Scientists noted, too, that amphetamine bore a chemical resemblance to dopamine, adding further weight to the connection between dopamine and schizophrenia.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Jul. 28, 2026
Typhoon Bavi knocked out power to thousands in Okinawa and lashed northern Taiwan as it bore down on storm-battered China, where it is expected to make landfall early Sunday.
From Barron's โ Jul. 11, 2026
Hitler’s new target was Stalingrad, a large industrial city on the Volga—and the one that bore Stalin’s name, an insult to Stalin himself.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Suzuki was born in America but qualifies for Japan through his mother and played all four of their matches at the World Cup this summer.
From BBC โ Aug. 16, 2026
And thus, “A Very Laufey Day” was born.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 16, 2026
Superman, Wonder Woman and Thor were born to greatness.
From Salon โ Aug. 16, 2026
Anwar's three-year-old daughter was born after the truce and has "no idea what war is", he said.
From Barron's โ Aug. 16, 2026
August, who I imagine went by “Augie,” who I imagine was born not in August but in June.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
The Ventura County district attorney said his county “has borne the brunt of the greatest disaster of its kind in the history of the State” — and he was clear on who deserved the blame.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 6, 2026
She adds that it's not wholly borne out of a lack of consideration for others - loudcasting can be a tool for connection.
From BBC โ Aug. 5, 2026
For the Andromeda team, the bulk of any potential losses is likely to be borne by the life-insurance companies that own as much as $35 trillion of these assets.
From MarketWatch โ Aug. 5, 2026
“Depending on whether the increase is borne by employees or employers, it reduces household income and/or increases production costs, with negative effects on consumption, investment, and/or competitiveness,” the report warns.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Jul. 16, 2026
As Frodo was borne towards them the great pillars rose like towers to meet him.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
