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Definition of barenext
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bare

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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
Soak bare-root hostas in warm water for 30 minutes to an hour before planting to help revive the roots and absorb moisture. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026 The milk-bath nail trend gets an affluent glow-up with this almost-bare nail, which is simple and understated. Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
Naked dressing also made its way via Tessa Thompson and Jenny Slate, in sheer black Collina Strada and Altuzarra, respectively, while award-winning Rose Byrne wore a midriff-baring Loewe gown with colorful ruffled shoulders and hips. Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026 After all, wolves don’t just wait around for a sacrificial lamb to show up in the forest and their teeth are rarely bared in public. David Opie, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare
Adjective
  • My Palestinian family are no strangers to being treated like human animals, whose mere existence is a crime.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
  • The crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine far transcend mere political protest.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • That simple sentiment distills what being a Louisianan is about.
    Carlie Procell, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
  • No doubt history would be very different if a citizen’s duty was simple obeyance.
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Hoary vervain is a drought tolerant perennial perfect for hot, exposed sites.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
  • An exposed décolletage keeps the silhouette from being basic while keeping it classy.
    Collette Grimes, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Far from merely giving orders, directors are participants in a social reality in which the most important results aren’t the naked-eye ones of deeds achieved but the magic infinitesimal moments that expand into big-screen spectacles.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026
  • What to expect Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch with the naked eye.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 24 Feb. 2026
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
  • Weapon system autonomously detects and classifies moving targets The company revealed that the weapon system autonomously detects and classifies moving targets in poor visibility situations caused by darkness, bad weather, smoke or dust kicked up by helicopters.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 22 Feb. 2026
  • Keeping top athletes engaged Such a small country can’t afford to lose athletes whose talent might not be fully revealed until their later teens.
    Don Riddell, CNN Money, 22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The chairs were plain and cane-bottomed.
    Josh Ireland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
  • Opponents of Village Farms worry about building so many homes on a flood plain, especially one so close to an unlined landfill that could be leaking toxic chemicals.
    Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Three De’Anthony Melton free throws got the deficit back to three after another Pelicans score, but the Pelicans held on for the win after a few empty Warriors possessions.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
  • Goodwin won the faceoff 15 seconds later and fired a bending shot the length of the ice into the empty net, giving the Irish a 3-1 edge.
    Andrew Cornelius, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.

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