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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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bare
Adjective
Typically, northern gardeners plant bare-root peonies in the ground in September, and mid-latitude gardeners plant in October or even into early November in the southern reaches of the peony’s range. Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2025 In documents filed in Davidson County, Tennessee, viewed by PEOPLE, the couple laid bare the terms of their divorce. Sean Mandell, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
At Gather No Moss, Teasdale opted for Rocky Horror metallic short shorts, a midriff-baring tee, and a knee bandage. Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025 These small-scale outfit changes, paired with an intricate and precise lighting design that, at times, bathed the arena in blue light, seemed to reveal Lorde’s desire to bare everything, to be so transparent as to be see through. Rachel Seo, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare
Adjective
  • But the differences between those chips and the new X2 line are far more significant than mere core count.
    Wendy Sheehan Donnell, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Plus, Jude Law brings his movie star charisma as the swaggering pirate captain Jod Na Nawood, who helps the kids find their way back home (for reasons far from mere goodwill).
    Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Jared Jewelers Bulova Phantom Watch A watch is both practical and fashionable, and this style adds a touch of sparkle to simple outfits.
    Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Each year, as the temperature rises, the town’s regular population of around 300 swells with thousands of kids soaking up the simple pleasures of the great outdoors.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The eggs are the first fossils to be reliably dated from the Qinglongshan fossil reserve, which includes three sites containing more than 3,000 eggs, the majority of which are semi-exposed and preserved in 3D, with their original shapes largely intact.
    Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Homes with high flood risk sold for lower prices while buyers paid more for those that were less exposed.
    Bloomberg, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This aspect will always cast her apart, even today, in the sense that a woman’s naked body is still perceived by audiences as something that stands out for some absurd reason, unfortunately.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The lawsuit stemmed from Nirvana’s use of a photo taken by Weddle at the Pasadena Aquatic Center in California that depicted Elden swimming naked toward a dollar bill on a fishhook.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.
    Michael Abbott, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 15 Feb. 2024
Verb
  • Multiple neighbors either called the police or yelled at the attacker to get away from the girl, court documents reveal.
    Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The 2025 State of the World’s Girls report by global NGO Plan International reveals how these relationships leave girls vulnerable for the rest of their lives.
    Carlotta Dotto, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Music industry machinations are mostly to blame; a higher supply of albums means more sales, which translates into chart performance and popularity and plain old checks to cash.
    Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The locker rooms and antechambers behind the scenes are drab and plain.
    Richard Lawson, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The album is a hot mess of conflicted emotions, empty braggadocio, poor technique, and heartbreaking yet tiresome crying jags.
    Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Reports indicated empty alcohol containers were found in the Nissan.
    Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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