: one that bears: such as
a
b
: a plant yielding fruit
c
d
: one holding a check, draft, bond, or other order for payment especially if marked payable to bearer
—often used attributively
bearer bonds
Examples of bearer in a Sentence
the bearer of a U.S. passport
The check was marked “payable to bearer.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the evidence isn’t comforting.
—
Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Trudeau's departure, which handed leadership to the cerebral former central banker Mark Carney, proved a political masterstroke, allowing the party to rebound in the absence of its tarnished standard bearer.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
This year, the organization is celebrating the 125th anniversary of the franchise instead of just focusing on the 20th for the 2005 team that is the lone standard bearer for modern success on the South Side.
—Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Sure there’s the GA and VIP wristband wearers, plus the coveted artist band bracelets bearers.
—Daniela Avila, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bearer
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Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Trudeau's departure, which handed leadership to the cerebral former central banker Mark Carney, proved a political masterstroke, allowing the party to rebound in the absence of its tarnished standard bearer.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
This year, the organization is celebrating the 125th anniversary of the franchise instead of just focusing on the 20th for the 2005 team that is the lone standard bearer for modern success on the South Side.
—Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Sure there’s the GA and VIP wristband wearers, plus the coveted artist band bracelets bearers.
—Daniela Avila, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bearer
Cite this Entry
“Bearer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bearer. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bearer
noun
bear·er
ˈbar-ər 
ˈber-
1
: someone or something that bears, supports, or carries
2
: a person holding a check or order for payment
Legal Definition
bearer
1 of 2 noun
bear·er
ˈbar-ər
: a person holding a check, draft, or other negotiable instrument for payment especially marked payable to bearer or having a blank endorsement
bearer
2 of 2 adjective
: freely transferable by the holder with or without endorsement and with full title passing by delivery to the transferee: as
a
: not having a registered owner
b
: not designating a specific payee
a bearer instrument
bearer checks
compare order
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