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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Tragically Carlotta gave birth to an infant born with AIDS who never left the hospital in his short life 1982-85. —Paul Keane, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2025 The overall universe, including the part of it that entered an inflationary state, could have been around for an infinite duration of time, even if it were born finite in volume. —Big Think, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
But over time, the VIX tends to be lower in bull markets and higher when the bears are in control. —John Towfighi, David Goldman and Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025 Exhibition should continue to push and prod the bear. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 Apr. 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
  • Seven additional people involved in the collision had minor injuries.
    — Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Apr. 2025
  • This at-bat had no significance on an eventual 7-2 Phillies win over the Miami Marlins.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of have
Verb
  • Some breed in running or standing water, while others breed in muddy or swampy locations.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Without Hughes performing at the absolute apex of his powers, this team didn’t stand a chance.
    — Thomas Drance, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of stand
Verb
  • Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Engineering strength depends on an interpretive framework that relates forces, the size of an object and their ratio − which represents mechanical stress.
    — Zachary del Rosario, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of relate
Verb
  • Located only some 25 light years away, Mu Cas A is headed towards us along our line of sight at a clip of some 97 km per second.
    — Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The women are also now among 52 others who have previously boarded Blue Origin's New Shepard launch vehicle to head more than 60 miles high for a few minutes of weightlessness and spectacular views of Earth.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of head
Verb
  • There were so many physical scenes and heavy emotions carried throughout.
    — Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The charges carry a combined sentence of 24 to 62 years in prison, Drummond said, and up to $260,000 in fines.
    — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of carry
Verb
  • The judge’s opinion would identify the grounds for an acquittal or for holding the defendants’ liable.
    — Andrea Tinianow, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The same cat may appear in two other drawings held by the British Museum.
    — Daniel Cassady for ARTnews, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of hold
Verb
  • And the Trump administration is behaving the same terroristic way as Pinochet and others have done in the hemisphere.
    — Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Model performance can drift, degrade or behave unpredictably with unseen inputs.
    — Dan Rogers, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of behave
Verb
  • Two of them grabbed him and hauled him outside.
    — Graydon Carter, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • This morning, a semi will haul his feed to a nearby grain elevator.
    — Kirk Siegler, NPR, 14 Mar. 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 23 Apr. 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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