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
3
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
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.
—
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
There are ways of pointing this out without explicitly blaming her.
—R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Snook believes there are several reasons for pickleball’s momentum.
—Janice Phelan, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
There is the bad: using a date as a human shield against an aggressive dog, like Mike.
—Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for be
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
There are ways of pointing this out without explicitly blaming her.
—R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Snook believes there are several reasons for pickleball’s momentum.
—Janice Phelan, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
There is the bad: using a date as a human shield against an aggressive dog, like Mike.
—Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for be
Recent Examples of Synonyms for be
Verb
-
Hungarians living near the southern frontier, where Orbán made a show of building a border fence during the refugee crisis, are travelling to Croatia to buy cheap groceries.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The victim lived with his mom in the University Heights section of the Bronx, about 3 miles from where he was killed.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the end of the talk, Lee stood to address the room.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
As fans stood for the opening run, a sprawling 23-piece backing ensemble — including six band members, eight backing vocalists plus returning Church muse Joanna Cotten, and a mini-orchestra with four horns and four strings — some swayed.—
Theoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
He’s tied for 10th in the NBA in blocks, owns the sixth-best individual defensive rating and ranks fifth in net rating, trailing a select group that includes Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Back in the day, only high ranking officers could ascend the staircase.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The trial, with testimony livestreamed by Court TV, has aired the couple's marital problems leading up to the hike, along with their versions of what happened on the trail.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The last 5-6-4-3 double play in the majors happened in 1995.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The push for security and hiring of more ambassadors comes after existing ambassadors detailed safety concerns and a fatal stabbing.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The gas tax is a key source of funding for road construction and maintenance across North Carolina, and lawmakers said eliminating it even temporarily could slow projects or worsen existing infrastructure needs.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Let those who have weapons lay them down!—
Jane Tyska,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But there's no doubt where the family's allegiance lies.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Baldwin, who was placed on the 10-day on March 26, is expected to be ready by spring training.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Bidunga will be joined on his trip to Louisville by Oregon junior guard Jackson Shelstad, who also has placed his name in the portal.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Global spending on data centers could reach $7 trillion by 2030, according to McKinsey, and much of that spending can no longer come solely from hyperscalers.—
April Roach,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The victory appeared to come with a price as Mike Trout departed in the eighth inning after he was hit in the back of the left hand by a Casey Legumina pitch.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Be.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/be. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
