bear 1 of 2

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as in to carry
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the wooden bridge will only bear one truck at a time

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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as in to pack
to wear or have on one's person the right to bear arms

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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as in to yield
to produce as revenue an interest-bearing savings account

Synonyms & Similar Words

bear

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noun

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 Pilsen, a diverse working-class neighborhood with a large Mexican American population, Toledo, who was born in Mexico, was a friendly fixture, with an untamed, graying beard and mane of hair. Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025 His work in those early days bears little resemblance to the crystalline large-format portraits of lonely American landscapes that would come to define his career. Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
My inner bear had officially been poked. Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025 In 2024, the competition was delayed a week after one of the contestants was fatally mauled by a rival bear with the attack seen on the live webcams. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bear
Verb
  • Kaivan Shroff, a 2024 delegate for Harris, said the former vice president has the right to tell the story of her campaign, as does Biden, who has conducted a few interviews and speeches since leaving office.
    Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Kirk, a prominent voice in culture wars on college campuses, hosts a daily radio show and podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, which ranks among the top 10 on Apple News’ list of top podcasts and has a strong Gen Z fan base.
    Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Outside Notre Dame Stadium in the run-up to the Indiana game, Gillis stood with analysts Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit for a segment on the pregame show.
    Pete Sampson, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Curtis was spotted smiling and standing along the side of the red carpet in casual all-black attire that included a sweater and casual black slacks.
    Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Second quarter 2025 billings registered a 3% quarter-over-quarter expansion supported by the leading-edge logic, advanced high bandwidth memory (HBM) related DRAM applications, as well as increase in shipments to Asia.
    Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Schauffele's decision wasn't injury-related.
    Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Quite a few designs featured striking swirls, which Daveed says speak to the ways that many Haitian immigrants must travel when heading into the United States for a better life.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
  • In approximately 14 months, voters will once again head to the polls to vote.
    Kimberly Ross, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The couple recently came under much media scrutiny when Abby and her conjoined twin sister, Brittany, both 35, were spotted carrying a newborn baby while running errands last month.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The powerful currents of flash floods can carry drivers off the road.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Republicans hold a strong majority in both chambers of the General Assembly, holding 29 out of 35 seats in the Senate and 81 of 100 seats in the House.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Ellison held second place prior to earnings release Ellison’s rise comes a day after Forbes released its list of the world’s richest people.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The bill conflates ethics with tax relief and reinforces the idea that lawmakers need a sweet treat to behave ethically.
    Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Virtually nothing was known about how chimpanzees behaved in the wild at that time.
    Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Jayden Daniels’ Washington Commanders haul up to Lambeau Field, a premier destination for leaping into the arms of strangers.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The plan has long been to haul about 30 of these tubes back to Earth, where they would be studied in far greater detail than Perseverance can achieve with its limited instrument suite — a point Stack Morgan brought up on Wednesday.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bear. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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