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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
During years of drought, when the water level dropped, trees grew in the lake bed, but when water returned following heavy rainfalls, the trees lost their leaves and were just bare trunks and branches. Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025 Some reseeding may also be necessary after winter to fill in bare areas. Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Advertisement Dunham, who wrote and directed the episode, also seeds their interactions with the distractions, evasions, and half-truths of two people with baggage who aren’t yet comfortable baring their whole souls. Judy Berman, Time, 10 July 2025 The members of Louisville's Quick Response Team come baring Narcan, fentanyl test strips and their own souls. Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for bare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare
Adjective
  • In 2020 and 2016, Wisconsin was decided by 20,000 votes — roughly 1% of the vote and a mere fraction of the more than 160,000 four-year students attending University of Wisconsin System campuses and Marquette University at the start of the 2024-25 academic year.
    Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 4 Aug. 2025
  • After all, Tycho formed a mere 108 million years ago, while other lunar craters have been estimated to be 3.9 billion years of age.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • But it was intended to be a simple, three-course meal, the documents showed.
    Chiara Eisner, NPR, 16 Aug. 2025
  • In North Carolina, Republicans are a few votes shy of a supermajority in one chamber but still control the redistricting process because the state’s congressional maps are not subject to veto and therefore can be passed by a simple majority in the legislature.
    Elena Shao, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The formal living room sports soaring ceilings lined with exposed beams, while the more casual family room is surrounded by walls of windows and topped with a skylight for even more natural light.
    Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 July 2025
  • Yet, the bill pares back support for wind and solar projects that typically complement gas plants—potentially leaving the grid more exposed, not less.
    Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • Only the right side of her face was visible beneath the wide-brimmed accessory and the Dezi Sly cat-eye sunglasses, and because most of her visage was hidden from the naked eye, her face makeup was kept to a minimum, even her lips.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Most of those planets can generally be spotted with the naked eye, depending on alignment.
    Ashley Fredde, Idaho Statesman, 6 Aug. 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
  • Delle, devoid for so long from its intrinsic need for social interaction might be filling in the gaps by talking to himself.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 14 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • As revealed ahead of the Perfect Match premiere, Smith and Sutherland are engaged and preparing to welcome a baby girl.
    Laura Bradley, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2025
  • Tap the contact to reveal the actual email or telephone number behind it.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Between stress, shame, emotional disconnection, the current state of the world being challenging, and just plain exhaustion, desire can come and go.
    Dominique Fluker, Essence, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Even the band’s look — blue denim, plain T-shirts, collegiate banners — was faded.
    Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The heartless subway mugger who slashed and badly wounded a woman on an empty Manhattan train car will stay locked up following his arrest late last week.
    Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2025
  • The day after the crash, the FWC investigators found a stash of empty booze bottles and cans on the boat.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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