: one that bears: such as
a
b
: a plant yielding fruit
c
d
: one holding a check, draft, bond, or other order for payment especially if marked payable to bearer
—often used attributively
bearer bonds
Examples of bearer in a Sentence
the bearer of a U.S. passport
The check was marked “payable to bearer.”
Recent Examples on the Web
At the film's center is Ingrid Luna/Aurora/the Spider Woman, the arbiter of Molina's salvation and the bearer of the kiss of death.
—
Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
Ophiuchus, known also as the serpent bearer in Greek mythology, is the additional sign in question, shunted between Scorpio and Sagittarius.
—Quispe López, Them., 9 Sep. 2025
The Democratic Party brand is in the gutter and at least one of its aspiring standard bearers is settling for chasing his own ambitions instead of trying to effectively pump life into the flailing party.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
The school has been the courageous standard bearer of academic freedom in the assault on higher education.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bearer
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Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
Ophiuchus, known also as the serpent bearer in Greek mythology, is the additional sign in question, shunted between Scorpio and Sagittarius.
—Quispe López, Them., 9 Sep. 2025
The Democratic Party brand is in the gutter and at least one of its aspiring standard bearers is settling for chasing his own ambitions instead of trying to effectively pump life into the flailing party.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
The school has been the courageous standard bearer of academic freedom in the assault on higher education.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bearer
Cite this Entry
“Bearer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bearer. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bearer
noun
bear·er
ˈbar-ər 
ˈber-
1
: someone or something that bears, supports, or carries
2
: a person holding a check or order for payment
Legal Definition
bearer
1 of 2 noun
bear·er
ˈbar-ər
: a person holding a check, draft, or other negotiable instrument for payment especially marked payable to bearer or having a blank endorsement
bearer
2 of 2 adjective
: freely transferable by the holder with or without endorsement and with full title passing by delivery to the transferee: as
a
: not having a registered owner
b
: not designating a specific payee
a bearer instrument
bearer checks
compare order
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