bare-bones

1 of 2

adjective

: including only what is most basic or necessary
a bare-bones email program
Skyscrapers of steel hung with curtain walls of glass, these sleek buildings were impressive monuments to bare-bones architectural integrity.C. A. Mills

bare bones

2 of 2

plural noun

: the barest essentials, facts, or elements
the bare bones of her life

Examples of bare-bones in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Here's where things stand As CNBC anchor Silvia Amaro reported last week, the EU is banking on at least a bare-bones deal to show progress and avoid the 50% levy on products exported from the bloc. Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 6 July 2025 The bare-bones restaurant was quiet during my visit, with just one friendly worker on duty behind the counter. Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado july 5, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2025
Plural noun
Though the indoor dining room is a bit bare bones, the patio attached to the food truck kitchen is a welcoming oasis off a busy South Nashville strip. Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 14 Nov. 2024 Wan’s ice cream bar is purposefully bare bones—a single counter with stainless steel wells holding a rotation of limited-run flavors. Clarissa Wei, AFAR Media, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for bare-bones

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1868, in the meaning defined above

Plural Noun

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bare-bones was in 1647

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Cite this Entry

“Bare-bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bare-bones. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

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