bear 1 of 2

verb

ˈber How to pronounce bear (audio)
Definition of bearnext
1
as in to have
to bring forth from the womb luckily, she turned out to be able to bear children after all

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2
as in to stand
to put up with (something painful or difficult) I can't bear the thought of losing another loved one

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3
as in to relate
to have a relation or connection I just found another fact that bears on this issue

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4
as in to head
to go on a specified course or in a certain direction the road bears left after the second traffic light

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5
as in to carry
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the wooden bridge will only bear one truck at a time

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6
as in to hold
to keep in one's mind or heart I'm not one to bear grudges

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to behave
to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way she bore herself well in her first public speaking event

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in to haul
to support and take from one place to another the rescue team came bearing much-needed food and supplies

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9
as in to assume
to take to or upon oneself I bear some responsibility for the mishap

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in to pack
to wear or have on one's person the right to bear arms

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11
as in to lead
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the path will bear north after that marked tree

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12
as in to need
to have as a requirement the violence in that country bears watching if the world wants to avoid a serious international conflict

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13
as in to contain
to have within gold-bearing ore

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14
as in to be
to occupy a place or location a hot, humid air mass is now bearing just south of the Gulf Coast

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15
as in to yield
to produce as revenue an interest-bearing savings account

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bear

2 of 2

noun

ˈber How to pronounce bear (audio)
1
as in headache
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work the upcoming kitchen renovation sounds like a real bear

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crab
an irritable and complaining person you've been a real bear lately—are you having a bad week?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bear differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bear are abide, endure, stand, suffer, and tolerate. While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.

forced to bear a tragic loss

In what contexts can abide take the place of bear?

While the synonyms abide and bear are close in meaning, abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.

cannot abide their rudeness

When might endure be a better fit than bear?

While in some cases nearly identical to bear, endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.

endured years of rejection

Where would stand be a reasonable alternative to bear?

In some situations, the words stand and bear are roughly equivalent. However, stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.

unable to stand teasing

When is suffer a more appropriate choice than bear?

The words suffer and bear are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.

suffering many insults

When can tolerate be used instead of bear?

Although the words tolerate and bear have much in common, tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.

refused to tolerate such treatment

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bear
Verb
This mural was born from a community’s pride, history, and power. —Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025 James was born several months later in April 2017, with the couple sharing news of his arrival in an Easter snapshot of Chloé cuddling her baby brother. —Alex Gurley, People.com, 5 June 2025
Noun
Haribo’s iconic bears can be seen on the product packaging. —Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 31 May 2025 An exceptionally fat bear caught the attention of Colorado wildlife officials back in October, just before bears started going into hibernation, McClatchy News previously reported. —Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for bear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bear
  1. have
  2. stand
  3. relate
  4. head
  5. carry
  6. hold
  7. behave
  8. haul
Verb
  • Currently, there is no data on the containment status of the fire and the cause has yet to be determined.
    — CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
  • Summers has two siblings: a sister named Taylor and a brother named Will.
    — Jacqueline Weiss, People.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of have
Verb
  • Connecticut uses its own money to provide that coverage, but could stand to see reductions to their federal Medicaid reimbursement for doing so.
    — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 3 June 2025
  • Over the last three years, Eli Lilly's average growth rate stands at a strong 17%, vastly superior to AbbVie's less than 1%.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Definition of stand
Verb
  • Although Jaylin and Jalen Williams are not related, Jalen does have a brother in the NBA.
    — Caroline Blair, People.com, 5 June 2025
  • Investigators suspected the two killings were related but ran out of leads and the cases went cold.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 13 May 2025
Definition of relate
Verb
  • According to previous Idaho Statesman reporting, the vehicle drove westbound toward Boise before jumping the median and heading back toward Mountain Home.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2025
  • Jennifer Lorentz heads the Diversion Unit in the office of the St. Louis Circuit Attorney, the city’s chief prosecutor.
    — Bram Sable-Smith, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Definition of head
Verb
  • The charges of interfering with flight crew members and attendants carries a maximum term of 20 years of imprisonment.
    — Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 30 May 2025
  • In 2016, 23 Republicans won seats carried by Hillary Clinton and 12 Democrats won seats carried by Trump — a total of 35 crossover districts going into 2018.
    — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 30 May 2025
Definition of carry
Verb
  • Manufacturing has been on the decline in the United States, with only 8% of American workers holding jobs in that sector as of earlier this year compared to roughly 26% in 1970, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, And a lot has changed since 1970.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 28 May 2025
  • Other Watch Auctions As a point of reference, the Geneva Watch Auction: XXI, held May 10 and 11 in Switzerland, was a distinguished event with 188 lots sold, totaling $52,196,552.
    — Nancy Olson, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Definition of hold
Verb
  • There are times when adults really should behave more like children.
    — DeVonne Goode, Parents, 6 June 2025
  • Successful deployment depends on robust guardrails—policies, oversight mechanisms and escalation paths that ensure agents behave in alignment with enterprise standards.
    — Alan Ranger, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of behave
Verb
  • Telo Trucks View 2 Images Telo's upcoming MT1 electric truck might only be as big as a two-door Mini Cooper, but it's got more than enough horses – 500, to be exact – under the hood to haul a full-size bed full of cargo.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 24 May 2025
  • At the recent Lucha practice, the girls suited up quickly in the gym and set up their practice space by hauling worn mats out from under a boxing ring.
    — Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Definition of haul

Phrases Containing bear

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beans
bear
bearable
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Cite this Entry

“Bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bear. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bear

Nglish: Translation of bear for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bear

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