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 In a recent letter to the communities, CMS didn’t make any promises about a last-minute rescue and warned prices might be higher if there is an emergency allocation. — Steve Zalusky, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026 Thus far, there is nothing to suggest that Moscow intended to violate Romanian airspace, the ministry in Bucharest said. — David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026 But there was also a lot of stuff that was filmed that was never shown. — Peter White, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026 There are also still hustlers sitting at the movies with cameras. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Aug. 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
  • In Pennsylvania, a single adult needs an annual, pretax income of $97,011 to live comfortably, according to SmartAsset.
    — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Before his arrest, Grannell appears to have been transient, possibly living at a campground in Round Mountain, Texas.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of live
Verb
  • Moments later, Mehserle stood, drew his gun and shot Grant in the back.
    — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • California stands to experience its highest tide levels on record when this event peaks during the late fall through the winter.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of stand
Verb
  • Pima County has for years ranked among the highest in the nation for the number of unidentified human remains, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • First, Foothill is ranked two leagues higher than Laguna Hills in the Orange County Football Conference.
    — Dan Albano, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of rank
Verb
  • His son Jack, who had attended the event in California, was instrumental in making these mazes happen, Universal officials have said.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Set in the high-stakes world of academia, The Love Hypothesis explores the delicate dance between science and emotion, reason and risk—and what happens when love defies logic.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of happen
Verb
  • Within a mind-spinning eight months, Zori Timeless Hotel was born, cleverly converted from the old pension into four luxurious residences within the confines of strict planning regulations that forced them to use the existing space.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Those ideas say some people are superior to others, and the inequality that exists in the world around us reflects those innate differences, and inequality is a good thing, and a necessary thing, and the only real way to organize social life.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of exist
Verb
  • For creators, attending a Grand Slam can signal something to their audiences beyond an interest in tennis; for brands, the appeal lies partly in associating themselves with that cachet.
    — Jessica Schiffer, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
  • For now, that responsibility will lie at the feet of Giannis (who’s not a jump shooter), Adebayo or Mitchell.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of lie
Verb
  • To gauge correctly, people can place a measuring tape around the abdomen, between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the hip bones, keeping the tape level and snug but not compressing the skin.
    — Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Seats were placed around the circle for visitors to witness firsthand the ancient drumming, chants, and intertribal dances carried by the wind and heard nearly two miles away, at the lakefront’s Geo-Karis State Park.
    — Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of place
Verb
  • As for Joe Musgrove’s next opportunity, that will come Thursday for Triple-A El Paso for Oklahoma City.
    — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Menon came aboard on July 14, making the trip on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft along with cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of come

Phrases Containing be

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Cite this Entry

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

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