: 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
Renuka Rayasam, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2026
The film is expected to do around $9M-$10M, a great number for a movie Anthony reports cost under $3M and had bare-bones P&A.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
Molly Barstein, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
This initial funding enabled them to hire a bare bones team to gather the data needed to sway investors.
—Isabella Backman, Hartford Courant, 27 Jan. 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
This year’s monthly premium for a bare-bones bronze family plan would have cost them $1,400, up from $900 last year.
—Renuka Rayasam, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2026
The film is expected to do around $9M-$10M, a great number for a movie Anthony reports cost under $3M and had bare-bones P&A.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
Plural noun
Saline, like most other beaches on St Barth’s, is rather bare bones—no bars, no shops, no restaurants—so be sure to pack your own snacks and water.
—Molly Barstein, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
This initial funding enabled them to hire a bare bones team to gather the data needed to sway investors.
—Isabella Backman, Hartford Courant, 27 Jan. 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 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
