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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
In a community where many are hanging on by a thread, the federal shutdown not only is laying bare the fragility of safety net programs but also is showing how swiftly and painfully that thread could be cut. Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025 As a result, her record stands as a marker on the musical landscape where storytelling is laid out in its barest and sharpest form. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
The leg-baring number boasted a wide neckline and a deep V-shaped back. Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025 Rih’s dalliance with pink travels across the color’s spectrum, from candy tones, to muted neutrals, and splashes of neon, from pajamas to bump-baring hoodies, and jaw-dropping vintage. Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare
Adjective
  • Most companies fail to realize that true advantage with AI and other transformative technologies comes not from mere adoption but from reinvention—rethinking business models, value creation, and organizational architecture.
    John Winsor, Harvard Business Review, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Approving drilling here mere weeks before the start of COP30 in the city of Belém — known as the gateway to the Amazon — presents tricky optics for Brazil, which is trying to walk a tightrope between environmental champion and fossil fuel power.
    Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • According to Bruce Blair, a former Air Force launch officer and nuclear policy expert, between 1962 and the mid-1970s the most powerful digits on the globe were simple – eight zeros.
    Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
  • That something as simple as a COVID vaccine might improve survival in cancer patients receiving standard immunotherapy has taken oncologists by surprise — in a good way.
    Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The extensive exposed brick walls, natural wood exposed ceiling beams, and organic decor pieces are just a few details that will keep dinner guests guessing.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Defenseman Jacob Trouba stopped what seemed like a sure goal with his stick, helping goaltender Jakob Dostal by knocking away a shot headed toward an exposed side of the net.
    Josh Gross, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The system uses the infrared wavelength—invisible to the naked eye—as opposed to visible light to prevent the signals from interfering with the residual peripheral vision the subjects still have.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Jenner offered a peek into her beachy surroundings by sharing pictures of a cloudy sky, ripples of water hitting the sand, and herself sitting naked in front of a clear blue ocean.
    Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 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
  • When the movie was first announced, it was revealed that Chris Pratt signed on to be the lead.
    James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • OpenAI has launched or revealed plans for a social-media app, a web browser, shopping inside ChatGPT, a personal device.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Freshly caught fish often hang in plain sight, and the selection changes so frequently that a whiteboard keeps track of what’s available.
    Aaron Randolph, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
  • To create your own, write a name on a plain paper gift tag.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Past Future Continuous shifts focus from the act of leaving to the homes and land left behind — places that grow emptier over time.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The 2026 fest will improve upon this system by swapping out all tanks prior to guest arrival, so each system is fresh and empty at the start of the event.
    Katie Bain, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.

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