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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective bare differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bare are bald, barren, naked, and nude. While all these words mean "deprived of naturally or conventionally appropriate covering," bare implies the removal of what is additional, superfluous, ornamental, or dispensable.

an apartment with bare walls

When might bald be a better fit than bare?

The synonyms bald and bare are sometimes interchangeable, but bald implies actual or seeming absence of natural covering and may suggest a conspicuous bareness.

a bald mountain peak

When is it sensible to use barren instead of bare?

The words barren and bare can be used in similar contexts, but barren often suggests aridity or impoverishment or sterility.

barren plains

In what contexts can naked take the place of bare?

While in some cases nearly identical to bare, naked suggests absence of protective or ornamental covering but may imply a state of nature, of destitution, or of defenselessness.

poor half-naked children

Where would nude be a reasonable alternative to bare?

While the synonyms nude and bare are close in meaning, nude applies especially to the unclothed human figure.

a nude model posing for art students

Examples of bare in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The tanks in this three-pack set from Amazon have a round bottom to give them a little flow and take attention away from my bare arms. Lois Alter Mark, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2024 Set on a bare stage designed by Soutra Gilmour, surrounded by rows of lights, everything is completely in black and white (which makes the red blood oozing from Desmond's face all the show's finale more striking). Dave Quinn, People.com, 21 Oct. 2024
Verb
Despite elimination, Atlanta bared its teeth after a disappointing performance in Game 1. Ben Church, CNN, 25 Sep. 2024 Flaky and the slightest bit sweet, croissants bare the perfect complement to crispy smoky bacon, creamy cheese, and fluffy eggs. Julia Levy, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bare 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bare.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near bare

Cite this Entry

“Bare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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