: including only what is most basic or necessary
a bare-bones email program
Skyscrapers of steel hung with curtain walls of glass, these sleek buildings were impressive monuments to bare-bones architectural integrity.—
C. A. Mills
C. A. Mills
: the barest essentials, facts, or elements
the bare bones of her life
Examples of bare-bones in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Evan Clark, Footwear News, 23 June 2025
Its bare-bones, standardized approach feels too inorganic, and too conveyor-belt-processed, to meld with Matsuhisa’s culinary style, or his outlook on his art — which the movie also frequently brushes past.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 June 2025
Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 14 Nov. 2024
Wan’s ice cream bar is purposefully bare bones—a single counter with stainless steel wells holding a rotation of limited-run flavors.
—Clarissa Wei, AFAR Media, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bare-bones
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Adjective
The bare-bones filing said the company had $10 million to $50 million in both assets and liabilities and between 200 and 999 creditors.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 23 June 2025
Its bare-bones, standardized approach feels too inorganic, and too conveyor-belt-processed, to meld with Matsuhisa’s culinary style, or his outlook on his art — which the movie also frequently brushes past.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 June 2025
Plural noun
Though the indoor dining room is a bit bare bones, the patio attached to the food truck kitchen is a welcoming oasis off a busy South Nashville strip.
—Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 14 Nov. 2024
Wan’s ice cream bar is purposefully bare bones—a single counter with stainless steel wells holding a rotation of limited-run flavors.
—Clarissa Wei, AFAR Media, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bare-bones
Cite this Entry
“Bare-bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bare-bones. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.
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