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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Recent Examples of bare-bones
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
The company’s bare-bones website shares the same address as Frontera Resources.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 27 Jan. 2026
Williams knows how to humanize this bare-bones vocabulary, minutely adjusting the voicing of a chord or caressing the last of a set of recurring motifs with a regretful ritardando.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bare-bones
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
The company’s bare-bones website shares the same address as Frontera Resources.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 27 Jan. 2026
Williams knows how to humanize this bare-bones vocabulary, minutely adjusting the voicing of a chord or caressing the last of a set of recurring motifs with a regretful ritardando.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bare-bones
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare-bones
Adjective
-
Peaking at number two on the r&b singles chart that year, the song’s lyrics hew closely to familiar genre narratives but are transformed by the sparse yet eclectic instrumental sound being refined by Timbaland and Missy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
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About 85 percent of the original road is still drivable, although signage is sparse and Google Maps doesn’t recognize Route 66 as a single continuous path.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
It was geared not for mere compliance with user requests but for sound judgment.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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Sitting in the audience, Styles' mere presence repeatedly distracted the actor as the camera kept panning away from him for the beloved pop-rock star.—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Most have direct, short-ish flights from the East Coast, making an 11th-hour spring break trip that much easier to pull off.—
Annie Daly,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
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The tech came on a play in which Flagg drove through the lane with the ball and attempted a short shot.—
R.J. Coyle,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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However, the actual energy-saving has been minimal at best.—
Rosie Colosi,
NBC news,
9 Mar. 2026
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The subtle piping along the border gives it a refined look, and Baker appreciates that the fluffiness feels full without being too exaggerated, which is great for those who prefer a more minimal bedspread.—
Shoko Wanger,
Architectural Digest,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bare-bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare-bones. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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