1
as in mere
being this and no more
impoverished people who can no longer afford the bare necessities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in simple
free from all additions or embellishment
do you want to know the bare truth?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in exposed
lacking a usual or natural covering
the ground was bare, without a trace of grass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in naked
lacking or shed of clothing
the toddler liked to run around bare
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in devoid
lacking contents that could or should be present
the cupboard was bare—not a thing to eat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in void
utterly lacking in something needed, wanted, or expected
the cupboard was bare of baking supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to reveal
to make known (as information previously kept secret)
finally bared the secret that she had kept to herself for so long
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in emptiness
the quality or state of being empty
the stark bareness of the refrigerator suggested it was time to go shopping
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nudity
the state of having no clothes on one's body
as she encountered more and more nude people at the resort, she became less conscious of her own bareness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 27 May 2025
Rickson stages both plays with elegant restraint, arranging just a few bits of furniture in front of a bare brick wall.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 22 May 2025
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 22 May 2025
At the construction site on my corner, massive athletic gear ads have just been plastered across the green scaffolding shed; all the female models bare their gleaming white smiles while running (can’t relate), happy to be exercising their muscular-but-not-unladylike limbs.
—Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bare
Adjective
Wait for cooler weather when the grubs head deeper into the soil, rake up and remove the loose grass, and re-seed to cover bare spots.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 27 May 2025
Rickson stages both plays with elegant restraint, arranging just a few bits of furniture in front of a bare brick wall.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 22 May 2025
Verb
But here are two people baring their most intimate moments for our entertainment.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 22 May 2025
At the construction site on my corner, massive athletic gear ads have just been plastered across the green scaffolding shed; all the female models bare their gleaming white smiles while running (can’t relate), happy to be exercising their muscular-but-not-unladylike limbs.
—Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare
Adjective
-
Thunder’s star Jalen Williams clocks in at a mere 24 years old.—
Harry Enten,
CNN Money,
7 June 2025
-
Los Angeles is now a mere 12 months away from serving as primary host of the World Cup soccer championships, and three years away from taking the world stage as host of both the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
In addition to experiencing a surge of sensual energy with greater emphasis on life’s simple pleasures, Venus in Taurus has everything to do with feeling grounded and finding stability in both love and finances.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
5 June 2025
-
White is easy, simple, and many times, the best choice for a clean slate.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
The president’s embrace of Moscow and corresponding pivot away from Europe is pushing the continent to become more independent and leaving its people far more exposed.—
DMYTRO KULEBA,
Foreign Affairs,
30 May 2025
-
The ensemble featured a strapless, sculpted black corset top with an exposed zipper.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
The union was not designed for this kind of naked coercion, and the White House should not be surprised, then, when the blue state targets of Trump's abuse start thinking a little more carefully about their options.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
-
Simply, the naked eye is capable of spotting the colorful display from Earth if the weather conditions cooperate.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Delle, devoid for so long from its intrinsic need for social interaction might be filling in the gaps by talking to himself.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
14 Feb. 2023
Verb
-
Zooming in reveals a poor level of detail, while the colors look unnaturally bright.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
5 June 2025
-
Diary entries written by Luigi Mangione reveal the now 27-year-old’s detailed thinking before the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year, a new court filing shows.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
Its impact on the modern environment is made plain when the geologist protagonist must flee terrible wildfires there.—
Diana Arterian
June 5,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
-
My mom rocked her plain white canvas sneakers through her four years at Michigan State University (that's her in the picture on the day the Olympic torch was run through the MSU campus in 1984).—
Chaunie Brusie,
Parents,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
American retailers cried foul and indicated Santa Claus’s sled would be empty.—
Bruce Yandle,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2025
-
Companies that are serious about the future of work know that AI implementation without workforce enablement is an empty investment.—
Sol Rashidi,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share