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

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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

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

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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
In those early conversations, Fernandez talked through a system that bore significant similarities to what Bueckers ran at UConn. — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Dorabialski is an artist and filmmaker born in Wrocław, Poland, and currently based in Sydney, Australia. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
Elk and deer are spotted around the lodge, while moose, bears, wolves, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep are out in the surrounding area. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2026 Don't wear earbuds and make noise periodically so bears can avoid you. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 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
  • And some of the outlook may have less to do with the immediate issues and more about life stage.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Staff come from all over the globe, and have extensive top-level international hospitality experience.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of have
Verb
  • The incident took place near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue, where Cisneros allegedly approached a 68-year-old man who had just left the subway and was standing with his wife.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Two healthy scratches may come from this group — Alexander and Jamison-Travis would be candidates as the roster stands now.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of stand
Verb
  • The process can involve repairs across propulsion, electrical and combat-related systems.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Gennaro Tomma is a freelance journalist who covers science, with a focus on the natural world, biodiversity, conservation, climate change, environmental and science-related policies, and more.
    — Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of relate
Verb
  • The primary core signal released is that Fed officials remain clearly divided over which direction interest rates should head next.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • About 4% of those crude oil exports head to the Americas while a portion of oil shipments go to Europe.
    — Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of head
Verb
  • Highlight one strong detail, ask what outcome matters most, and let your craft carry the room.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Moon Jong-won rounds out the cast as Um Sang-pil, who runs a bed-and-breakfast and carries a past shrouded in mystery.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of carry
Verb
  • Namely, a forgiving elastic waistband, a breezy, lightweight feel, and pockets that are actually deep enough to hold your essentials.
    — Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The bag is big enough to hold all your travel essentials—even a small umbrella or tablet—and features two slip pockets and one zip pocket inside.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of hold
Verb
  • Search for jet quenching Previous experiments suggest that a millionth of a second after the Big Bang, even as temperatures remained extremely high, matter did not behave like gas but instead like liquid with very low viscosity.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The denim industry does not necessarily need another product that behaves exactly like PP.
    — Alice Tonello, Footwear News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of behave
Verb
  • More than 200 walruses were hauled out on the beach, grunting and groaning, wriggling and jostling for position.
    — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Beckham lunged and tried to haul it in, but the ball bobbled incomplete.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of haul

Phrases Containing bear

Browse Nearby Words

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 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bear

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bear

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