Synonyms of be

be 1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈbē 

1

as in to live

to have life

stories that begin with the familiar line "once upon a time there was a beautiful maiden"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• live
• exist
• rule
• continue
• breathe
• survive
• keep (on)
• subsist
• flourish
• persist
• last
• lead
• endure
• kick
• hold on
• run on
• abide
• move
• thrive
• hold up
• prosper

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• die
• disappear
• depart
• perish
• expire
• pass away
• stop
• succumb
• vanish
• cease
• evaporate
• end
• quit
• die (down)
• discontinue
• moderate
• subside
• abate
• desist
• wane
• let up
• ebb

2

as in to stand

to occupy a place or location

we'll be there waiting for you

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stand
• lie
• sit
• remain
• reside
• stay
• bear
• wait
• rest
• overlook
• station
• hang around
• await
• stick around
• command
• dwell
• post
• tarry

3

as in to rank

to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes

our school's football team is first in its division

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rank
• place
• stand
• rate
• grade
• sort
• class
• count
• classify
• group
• set
• seed
• categorize
• separate
• install
• codify
• compartmentalize
• instate

4

as in to happen

to take place

the party is next Saturday

Synonyms & Similar Words

• happen
• come
• occur
• do
• come about
• come down
• cook
• come to pass
• come off
• pass
• befall
• chance
• transpire
• go down
• go on
• hap
• rise
• develop
• come up
• arise
• betide
• proceed
• result
• shape (up)
• materialize
• intervene
• fall out
• turn out
• crop (up)
• follow
• break
• spring (up)
• go off

be (to)

2 of 2

verb (2)

as in to treat

to behave toward in a stated way

you need to be nice to your brother

Synonyms & Similar Words

• treat
• serve
• act (toward)
• handle
• deal (with)
• use
• respond (to)
• do by
• react (to)
• engage (with)
• regard
• view
• consider
• rate
• esteem
• reckon

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of be

Verb

But there was zero panic in their game in the final period. —Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 14 Jan. 2026

Invest in a Flat Vacuum Attachment Believe it or not, there is a vacuum attachment designed specifically for cleaning under the fridge! —Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026

There are shades of Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea here, the supreme dislocation of being a person in a world where others are so utterly unknowable. —Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026

There is no update on the containment of the fire and its cause remains unknown. —Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026

Phrases Containing be

• be (to)
• be friends with
• be on the lookout for
• be out of breath
• be partial to
• fit to be tied
• to be sure