bearing

noun

bear·​ing ˈber-iŋ 

1

: the manner in which one behaves or comports oneself : the manner in which one bears (see bear entry 2 sense 2f) oneself

a man of dignified bearing

… a confident and cheerful bearing.

—Sheridan LeFanu

2

a

: the act, power, or time of bringing forth offspring or fruit

a woman past bearing

b

: a product of bearing : crop

three bearings in a year

3

a

: an object, surface, or point that supports

b

: a machine part in which another part (such as a journal or pin) turns or slides

4

heraldry : a figure borne on a heraldic field (see field entry 1 sense 3c)

The lion is a common bearing.

5

: pressure, thrust

6

a

: the situation or horizontal direction of one point with respect to another or to the compass

on a northerly bearing

b

: a determination of position

take a bearing

c

bearings plural : comprehension of one's position, environment, or situation

The ship lost its bearings in the fog.

helping new employees get their bearings

d

: relation, connection

—often used with on

facts that have a direct bearing on the question

They assured us that their personal feelings had no bearing on their decision.

also : purport

the bearing of that remark

7

: the part of a structural member that rests on its supports

a beam with 4 inches of bearing upon the wall

Synonyms

• applicability
• connection
• materiality
• pertinence
• relevance
• relevancy

Choose the Right Synonym for bearing

bearing, deportment, demeanor, mien, manner, carriage mean the outward manifestation of personality or attitude.

bearing is the most general of these words but now usually implies characteristic posture.

a woman of regal bearing

deportment suggests actions or behavior as formed by breeding or training.

your deportment was atrocious

demeanor suggests one's attitude toward others as expressed in outward behavior.

the haughty demeanor of the headwaiter

mien is a literary term referring both to bearing and demeanor.

a mien of supreme self-satisfaction

manner implies characteristic or customary way of moving and gesturing and addressing others.

the imperious manner of a man used to giving orders

carriage applies chiefly to habitual posture in standing or walking.

the kind of carriage learned at boarding school

Examples of bearing in a Sentence

a man of military bearing

these new facts have some bearing on the case

Recent Examples on the Web

Using a compass, the sniper took the bearing and relayed the measurement to Perun. —Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024

Connors seems to search for reasons to lose her bearings. —Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024

At 59, Dell retains a youthful bearing, his curly hair only tinged by gray. —Michal Lev-Ram, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024

Several trackside detectors spotted the bearing starting to heat up for miles beforehand, but the temperature didn't reach a high enough level to trigger an alarm until right before the crash. —CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024

Arizona's presidential preference election won't tip the scales Trump and Biden’s Super Tuesday winning streaks all but ensure that Arizona’s presidential preference election in two weeks will have little bearing on the party’s eventual nominee. —Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024

Millennial film culture has lost its aesthetic bearings. —Armond White, National Review, 1 Mar. 2024

Our personal relationships with our bodies should have no bearing on other individuals’ opinions of them. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024

The delay — lasting 30 days from the judge’s Friday decision — stems from the recent disclosure of more than 100,000 pages of records that may have some bearing on the case. —William K. Rashbaum, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bearing

• ball bearing
• bearing false witness
• bearing rein
• beyond bearing
• have bearing on
• past bearing
• roller bearing
• side bearing
• weight-bearing

Kids Definition

bearing

noun

bear·​ing

ˈba(ə)r-iŋ,

ˈbe(ə)r-

1

: the manner in which one carries or conducts oneself

2

: a machine part in which another turns or slides

3

a

: the position or direction of one point with respect to another or to the compass

b

: a calculating of position

take a bearing

c

plural : understanding of one's location or situation

lost their bearings

4

: connection sense 2

personal feelings had no bearing on our decision

Medical Definition

bearing

noun

bear·​ing

: an object, surface, or point that supports