rear

1 of 4

verb

ˈrir How to pronounce rear (audio)
 transitive sense 4 & intransitive sense 2 are also  ˈrer
reared; rearing; rears

transitive verb

1
: to erect by building : construct
2
: to raise upright
3
a(1)
: to breed and raise (an animal) for use or market
(2)
: to bring to maturity or self-sufficiency usually through nurturing care
reared five children
birds rearing their young
b
: to cause (plants) to grow
4
: to cause (a horse) to rise up on the hind legs

intransitive verb

1
: to rise high
2
of a horse : to rise up on the hind legs
rearer noun

rear

2 of 4

noun

1
: the back part of something: such as
a
: the unit (as of an army) or area farthest from the enemy
b
: the part of something located opposite its front
the rear of a house
c
2
: the space or position at the back
moved to the rear

rear

3 of 4

adjective

: being at the back
the rear entrance

rear

4 of 4

adverb

: toward or from the rear
usually used in combination
a rear-driven car
Choose the Right Synonym for rear

lift, raise, rear, elevate, hoist, heave, boost mean to move from a lower to a higher place or position.

lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

Examples of rear in a Sentence

Verb watched a documentary on how wolves rear their young it took all the men in the village to rear the frame for the barn, pulling hard at the ropes until all the sides were standing Noun There are two bedrooms at the rear. the rear of the car was sleekly designed Adjective The car's rear bumper was damaged. go to the back of the building and look out the rear window and you'll see the eagle
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Even when reared in identical environments, an Indian two-year-old would be expected to be three centimetres shorter than a Haitian two-year-old. Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025 This ignored the possibility of stagflation again rearing its ugly head. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Mar. 2025
Noun
Inspired by the Bauhaus movement, the ride has geometric shapes adorning its Blu Corse Matte bodywork, coming together in the rear to create a trident, which, of course, is the marque’s logo. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2025 Finally, the power supply is plugged into the socket on the turntable’s rear before turning on the mains power. Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
The 3 seems to struggle most, with perhaps too many variables for the computer to confidently handle at pace—front and rear motors, rear torque biasing, more weight, and a higher center of gravity. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Ars Technica, 25 Mar. 2025 Her novels tell many stories of women struggling to rear children in the face of absent fathers and oppressive social obligations. Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rear

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English reren, from Old English rǣran; akin to Old Norse reisa to raise, Old English rīsan to rise

Noun

Middle English rere, short for rerewarde rearward

Adjective

Middle English rere-, from Anglo-French rere backward, behind, from Latin retro- — more at retro

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rear was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Rear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rear. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

rear

1 of 3 verb
1
: to put up by building : construct
2
: to raise or set on end
3
a
: to take care of the breeding and raising of
rear cattle
b
: to bring by continuous care to a stage at which one is fully grown or self-sufficient
rear children
4
: to rise high
5
: to rise up on the hind legs
the horse reared in fright

rear

2 of 3 noun
1
: the part (as of an army) or area farthest from the enemy
2
3
: the space or position at the back

rear

3 of 3 adjective
: being at the back

More from Merriam-Webster on rear

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