: 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
C. A. Mills
: the barest essentials, facts, or elements
the bare bones of her life
Examples of bare-bones in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 May 2026
Spirit was long the butt of jokes for its bare-bones operations, but the flying faithful were mourning the loss.
—Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 9 May 2026
David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Manica worked with the spot’s bare bones — a large room with high ceilings — and divided it into smaller sections.
—Jenna Thompson
april 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bare-bones
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.
Adjective
That would be the bare-bones Nissan Versa, still far more expensive than the Jaecoo, once destination and other fees are added.
—Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 May 2026
Spirit was long the butt of jokes for its bare-bones operations, but the flying faithful were mourning the loss.
—Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Plural noun
Promotional materials for Neighbors First are mostly bare bones.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Manica worked with the spot’s bare bones — a large room with high ceilings — and divided it into smaller sections.
—Jenna Thompson
april 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bare-bones
Cite this Entry
“Bare-bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bare-bones. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
