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
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Recent Examples of bare-bones
The proposals, released this week and which would go into effect in 2027, prioritize making ACA premiums as low as possible — by expanding bare-bones coverage, allowing insurers to skip creating networks of hospitals and doctors, and repealing standardized plan options.
—
Bob Herman, STAT, 11 Feb. 2026
Maintenance is $1,181 and the building is beyond bare-bones — the listing only mentions bike storage.
—Katie McDonough, Curbed, 9 Feb. 2026
This year’s monthly premium for a bare-bones bronze family plan would have cost them $1,400, up from $900 last year.
—Renuka Rayasam, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2026
The film is expected to do around $9M-$10M, a great number for a movie Anthony reports cost under $3M and had bare-bones P&A.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bare-bones
Bob Herman, STAT, 11 Feb. 2026
Maintenance is $1,181 and the building is beyond bare-bones — the listing only mentions bike storage.
—Katie McDonough, Curbed, 9 Feb. 2026
This year’s monthly premium for a bare-bones bronze family plan would have cost them $1,400, up from $900 last year.
—Renuka Rayasam, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2026
The film is expected to do around $9M-$10M, a great number for a movie Anthony reports cost under $3M and had bare-bones P&A.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bare-bones
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare-bones
Adjective
-
Reports of his church attendance are sparse.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Some fans in Utah and Arizona have longed for the good ol’ days when the Pac-12 played its conference tournament in front of sparse crowds in Las Vegas.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In mere hours, central Madrid’s historic coffee spot, Café Comercial, will be thronged with content creators, micro-influencers and ‘cool kids’ attending the first in a rolling series of YSL Beauty activations, each envisioned as a block party.—
Joe Bobowicz,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2026
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The mere decision to embark on such an endeavor takes bravery and maybe a little insanity.—
Thomas Floyd,
Washington Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The ceremony Sunday was a long-in-coming coronation for Anderson, a San Fernando Valley native who made his first short at age 18 and has been one of America's most lionized filmmakers for decades.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
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On Kalshi, the biggest upset of Oscar night came in the short film category, where a tie was given a 1% of chance of paying off.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In the recent demonstration, advanced software and unmanned platforms were combined to create a system capable of identifying and responding to electronic signals with minimal human involvement.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
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At Usangu Expedition Camp in Tanzania, for example, guides have replaced bright spotlights with thermal cameras so guests can observe critters with minimal disturbance.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Outside,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bare-bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare-bones. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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