bare 1 of 2

Definition of barenext
1
2
3
4
5
6

bare

2 of 2

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
Gardening author Christi Wilhelmi suggests starting with bare-root trees, which are less expensive. Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 2 May 2026 That snapshot described above, with the mezcal, bare feet, and crashing waves? Abbey Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
Verb
The Mallards, whose colors are maroon and gold and whose logo features a male duck angrily baring its fictional teeth, are part of a 51-year old league stretching from Maine to New Mexico, Maryland to Alaska. Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2026 Their three shots, none of which were on target, had a total xG of 0.18 — the lowest of head coach Arne Slot’s reign — and the lack of any consistent threat throughout the 90 minutes laid bare their issues. Andy Jones, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare
Adjective
  • Two postseasons in a row, the Oilers made deep playoff runs, coming within mere minutes of winning the whole thing back in 2024.
    Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
  • While the mere existence of Troy is not proof that the war was real, the discovery of arrowheads, signs of fire, and unburied bodies found in a layer corresponding to the 13th century bce indicates the possibility of battles having occurred.
    Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • These are products have a short, simple ingredient lists that are easy to understand for regular consumers and are free from additives.
    Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 7 May 2026
  • Sometimes this involved simple in-person observations.
    E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • The outer layers of the star will eventually cool and disperse, leaving a nebula of ex-stellar material surrounding the sun's core, which will then become an exposed cooling stellar remnant called a white dwarf.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The objective is to reduce exposed equity within the entity in a lawful and structured manner.
    Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Blessed with wide fields of view, binoculars reveal the night sky beyond the reach of the naked eye, able to give excellent views of large and bright deep-sky objects — including star clusters and nebulas and the occasional galaxy (as well as the star-fields in the arc of the Milky Way).
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Talley then fled naked from the hospital and soon was recaptured.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • On Thursday afternoon, at least two of the parishes marked for closure stood silent and seemingly devoid of activity.
    Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
  • To be fair, Saturday’s Kentucky Derby field isn’t entirely devoid of notable nomenclature.
    Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • With the Moon now moving through your 7th House of Partnership, conversations become more direct, honest, and revealing in a useful way.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
  • Malone revealed that the Big Ass Stadium Tour Part 2, with Jelly Roll and Carter Faith, will resume on May 16 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 2 May 2026
Adjective
  • Revisiting maps mid-decade for political advantage runs directly against both the spirit and the plain language of those protections.
    Dan Daley, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
  • But a glimpse at an earlier journalistic universe—newspapers in the era before social media—shows the dishonesty at the center of the project to treat the plain meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment as up for grabs.
    Lawrence Glickman, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • It’s been maddening to watch a lineup full of high-end hitters come up empty night after night in April, a month that has felt as long as about three.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
  • After sitting empty since Sting and Styler moved out, per the New York Post, the stylish spread has just returned to the market for $45 million, a whopping $5 million less than the current owner paid.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 28 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare. Accessed 7 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on bare

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster