bore 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈbȯr How to pronounce bore (audio)
Definition of borenext
1
as in to drill
to make a hole or series of holes in some woodpecker bored holes in our tree in the backyard

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to push
to force one's way with some effort, she bored through the throng of yelling protestors

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bore

2 of 3

verb (2)

as in to weary
to make weary and restless by being dull or monotonous the professor's lifeless and unimaginative teaching style bored the students to death

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bore

3 of 3

noun

as in yawn
someone or something boring for once, the graduation speaker wasn't a real bore

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 bore
Verb
That said, woodpeckers are attracted to other types of wood-boring insects, and woodpecker activity doesn’t always indicate that borers are present. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026 The popular Korean drama Flex X Cop, whose full first season and episode one of season two drop on August 7, centers on Jin I-soo, who is an immature heir to a massive company and is bored with his job. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
Such fraudulence bore only poisoned fruit, swelling overseas bank accounts for the Manchurian candidates who were seeding duplicity into the loam of their nation’s imagination. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026 Female flies bore into the fig to lay their eggs, which hatch out as larvae inside the fruit and eat the unripe insides before burrowing their way out. — Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bore
  1. drill
  2. push
  3. weary
  4. yawn
  5. pierce
  6. squeeze
  7. tire
  8. drip
Verb
  • Woodland drilled his second shot on the par-5 18th hole from 279 yards to 9 feet, 4 inches.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Options considered during the analysis included drilling holes in the existing piles and adding more steel inside, or widening the pile caps so more piles could be added on the outside.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of drill
Verb
  • Adebo could still push Banks, while Phillips has secured the slot job.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • That more than doubled its stock, pushing its market cap above $9 billion, adding to the bottom line of Thrive and Kushner, who is vice chairman and has personal holdings.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of push
Verb
  • But for two hours the film is just set-piece after set-piece, backed by a deafening score, which becomes rather wearying.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 23 July 2026
  • Bram, his husband, has a demanding job at a museum in Rotterdam and Arnold’s bitterness has grown wearying.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
Definition of weary
Noun
  • Livestream cameras at Alaska’s Katmai National Park recently spotted the distinctive brown bear cub (Ursus arctos) sitting in the grass (and giving a little yawn), according to Popular Science.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The results are only so-so as Tony Stark tussles with PTSD, criminally underused antagonist Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) and yawn-worthy villain Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce).
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of yawn
Verb
  • Her brown leather jacket was pierced with 60 stab wounds, and her throat had been slashed nearly ear to ear.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Claire’s is trying to recapture its glory as the go-to destination for both tween girls and for piercing.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of pierce
Verb
  • These portable, lightweight bands squeeze easily into a suitcase and can be used to add resistance to body weight exercises.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Job seekers in South Florida are navigating a tricky mix of stubborn inflation, high interest rates and an AI shift that’s squeezing entry-level hiring.
    — Jessica Lipscomb, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • In other words, an evening session does not just tire you out.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 23, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
  • The game slows not only because bodies tire more quickly, but because players begin pacing themselves earlier — conserving energy for the moments that matter most.
    — Alan McCall, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of tire
Noun
  • For travelers, the practical question is whether a bedside drip delivers real value or an expensive placebo.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Cost and clinical value are also worth weighing before booking a room-service drip.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of drip

Browse Nearby Words

borders (on)
bore
bore a hand
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Cite this Entry

“Bore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bore. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bore

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bore

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