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 In somewhat bare-bones, cozy settings, Red Lobster became a middle-class family destination, and was welcoming to Black customers at a time when segregation, while outlawed, was still common in much of the American South. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 The Iranian government has been forced to implement sweeping cost-cutting measures, which were reflected in Pezeshkian’s bare-bones visit. — Robin Wright, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026 Unlike most bare-bones seafood shacks, there’s real table service here, with smiling, friendly servers, to boot. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026 The council then took up the bare-bones $283,193 option for Route 42 only. — Noah Daly august 20, Idaho Statesman, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bare-bones
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare-bones
  1. sparse
  2. mere
  3. short
  4. minimal
Adjective
  • Camels, many belonging to Touareg nomads, grazed on sparse patches of vegetation.
    — Heather Richardson, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Minutes will also be sparse for Jaye Nash, a junior guard from Jacksonville State who’ll make most of his impact as a practice player and in the locker room.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of sparse
Adjective
  • And yet, to a large degree, Mendoza and Ciscomani are mere stand-ins, their candidacies serving as little more than proxies for the president and his opposition.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The mere fact of the encounter takes primacy over the quality of it.
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of mere
Adjective
  • That was soon followed by two short drives, both finished by junior running back Dylan Riley.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Paris in today’s demonstrations, which were described by a senior police officer, speaking to CNN affiliate BFMTV, as largely peaceful — until a short while ago.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of short
Adjective
  • Its longer-term vision extends beyond autonomous aircraft to airports where loading, departures, landings, and turnaround operations require minimal human involvement.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • To avoid aggravation, Czech recommends taking a minimal approach to physical exfoliation, which can cause micro-tears on the epidermis if you get carried away.
    — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of minimal

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bare-bones
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Cite this Entry

“Bare-bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare-bones. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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