bare
/ˈbɛɹ/
adjectiveverb
Common
1.adj.completely unclothed
“bare bodies”
2.adj.lacking in magnitude or quantity
“a bare livelihood”
3.adj.not having a protective covering
“unsheathed cables”
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bare and bear are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. bare means “completely unclothed”. bear means “have”. bear is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbɛɹ/
1.adj.completely unclothed
“bare bodies”
2.adj.lacking in magnitude or quantity
“a bare livelihood”
3.adj.not having a protective covering
“unsheathed cables”
/ˈbɛɹ/
| bare | bear | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛɹ/ | /ˈbɛɹ/ |
| Said | ber | ber |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | adjective, verb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 13 | 15 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | au naturel, naked, nude | none recorded |
Full entry for bare · Full entry for bear · More comparisons
1.v.have
“bear a resemblance”
2.v.cause to be born
“My wife had twins yesterday!”
3.v.put up with something or somebody unpleasant
“I cannot bear his constant criticism”