bare-bones

adjective

Definition of bare-bonesnext
as in sparse
including only what is most basic or needed a bare-bones website a bare-bones wedding ceremony The hotel rooms are bare-bones.

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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-bones Now, Comfrt has a core network of 500 content creators who make videos about the brand, and its bare-bones operation has grown to 140 full-time employees on payroll. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026 Last season, Carrick had the unenviable task of divvying up minutes across a bare-bones schedule. — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Together with engineer Dirk MacLeod, in 2015 Nakogee began hashing out the details of a bare-bones version of the system. — IEEE Spectrum, 30 July 2026 John Cusack is proud that his latest project is the work of a bare-bones crew. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bare-bones
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare-bones
  1. sparse
  2. mere
  3. short
  4. minimal
Adjective
  • But banking on him is also a risk given his poor performance earlier this season, and the sparse starting depth behind him.
    — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In the warm, nutrient-poor waters of the central Pacific where food is sparse, atolls are like bustling cafés.
    — NPR, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of sparse
Adjective
  • Mahony envisions Addition Wealth as the ambient financial infrastructure supporting every major life decision, moving beyond a mere workplace benefit.
    — Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But to his legions of enemies — from MAGA reactionaries to the Anti-Defamation League to mere centrist Democrats — Piker is a loudmouth extremist who’s actively harming the country.
    — Josh Eells, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of mere
Adjective
  • However short its window, think of it as a bridge to help ease your wardrobe’s transition from warmer days to cooler ones.
    — Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Three total solar eclipses within about two years occur because three separate Saros series happen to align over a short period.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of short
Adjective
  • While born on the road and in the big rooms, much of Pure Devotion stems from retreats to small studios in Iceland and Spain, writing on a minimal setup of a couple of synths and an FX unit.
    — Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 8 Aug. 2026
  • ThinkBook designs often have longer key travel to facilitate more accurate and responsive typing, but here the keys appear very flat, suggesting the key travel will be minimal.
    — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of minimal

Browse Nearby Words

bare
bare-bones
bared
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Cite this Entry

“Bare-bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare-bones. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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