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be

verb

ˈbē How to pronounce be (audio)
Definition of benext
1
as in to live
to have life stories that begin with the familiar line "once upon a time there was a beautiful maiden"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stand
to occupy a place or location we'll be there waiting for you

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to rank
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes our school's football team is first in its division

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to happen
to take place the party is next Saturday

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 be There are endless reasons one woman is harassed and another is not. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026 Amid the jubilation of the liberation, there is a darker side, as women who fraternized with German soldiers are tracked down and brutally publicly shamed. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026 Right across the street from Madison Square Garden, there is a secret garden. — Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 19 Sep. 2026 There were several storms in the area near the trail that evening, and between seven and nine lightning strikes, First Warning Meteorologist Cam Tran said, WESH 2 reported. — Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for be
Recent Examples of Synonyms for be
  1. live
  2. stand
  3. rank
  4. happen
  5. exist
  6. lie
  7. place
  8. come
Verb
  • The men entered the home with guns, found no drugs and fatally shot the three residents, who lived just across the street from Norman, the records show.
    — MICHAEL GRACZYK, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • There must be a way to live happily without looking to the future.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of live
Verb
  • Whichever one remains standing will be wounded and weakened, and the human forces can then finish that monster off.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Thanks to the single-floor layout of the tiny house, there's tons of room in here to walk around and stand upright, which is always a nice luxury in a tiny house.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of stand
Verb
  • Some Republican voters plan to simply vote for the incumbent and not rank in that race.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Lincoln County regained the top ranking two weeks ago when four-time champion Bowdon lost its second game.
    — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of rank
Verb
  • This is barely a description of what actually happens, but more of an understanding of what lies beneath the surface of the plot, the emotional core of the adventure at hand, maybe even what critics sometimes call the driving force of a novel.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The precise details of what happened there are obscure, and representatives for Beck did not respond to my requests for comment.
    — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of happen
Verb
  • Seemingly, nothing can stop Swift — who also released a musical bid for an Oscar this year in the form of a Toy Story song — from reminding Grammy voters that Showgirl exists.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Leaders may consider repurposing these existing tools around the patient data that already exists to help ensure the guidance clinicians receive feels timely and relevant rather than generic.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of exist
Verb
  • After lying dormant for over twenty years, the property has been completely renovated to make the space feel tasteful, modern, and comfortable while continuing to pay tribute to its deep archival roots.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Here, in this image of an ingenious skidding kitten—in both its brutality and its beautiful, dumb, playful resilience—lies the wisdom of Marcon’s art.
    — Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of lie
Verb
  • Our criminal system deliberately places the burden on the government and tolerates the possibility that guilty people will go free rather than lower the standard required to convict.
    — Monu Bedi, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • One defense attorney, however, noted that the high-profile case in Miami federal court was recently placed under seal, an indication that new charges or defendants had been added.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of place
Verb
  • Politicians pause mid-sentence, scanning the room for applause lines that will guide what comes next.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The award determined by audience ballot comes with a $10,000 cash prize.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of come

Phrases Containing be

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be
beach
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Cite this Entry

“Be.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/be. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on be

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about be

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