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”
Loading page
bare and spare share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. bare means “completely unclothed”. spare means “thin and fit”. spare 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”
/ˈspɛɹ/
1.adj.thin and fit
“the spare figure of a marathon runner”
2.adj.more than is needed, desired, or required
“trying to lose excess weight”
3.adj.not taken up by scheduled activities
“a free hour between classes”
| bare | spare | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛɹ/ | /ˈspɛɹ/ |
| Said | ber | sper |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | adjective, verb | adjective, verb, noun |
| Senses | 13 | 13 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | au naturel, naked, nude | trim |
Full entry for bare · Full entry for spare · More comparisons