Synonyms of bear
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as in to have 
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as in to stand
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as in to relate
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as in to head
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as in to carry
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as in to hold
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as in to behave
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as in to haul
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as in to assume
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as in to pack
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as in to lead
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as in to need
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as in to contain
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as in to be
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as in to yield
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as in headache
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as in crab
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1
as in to have
to bring forth from the womb
luckily, she turned out to be able to bear children after all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stand
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
I can't bear the thought of losing another loved one
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3
4
as in to head
to go on a specified course or in a certain direction
the road bears left after the second traffic light
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5
6
as in to hold
to keep in one's mind or heart
I'm not one to bear grudges
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7
as in to behave
to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way
she bore herself well in her first public speaking event
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8
9
as in to assume
to take to or upon oneself
I bear some responsibility for the mishap
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10
11
12
as in to need
to have as a requirement
the violence in that country bears watching if the world wants to avoid a serious international conflict
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13
14
1
as in headache
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work
the upcoming kitchen renovation sounds like a real bear
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2
as in crab
an irritable and complaining person
you've been a real bear lately—are you having a bad week?
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bear
Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
Out of the 111 women’s shoe brands that the APMA recommends, Skechers has the most styles (567, to be exact) bearing the organization’s prestigious seal of approval.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Officials believe the hungry bear wandered into town after being displaced by the Kaibab fire, likely just looking for a post-hibernation snack.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bear
Verb
In the book, Neeley opens up about getting pregnant while playing collegiate tennis at BYU, and her son’s father’s tragic death from a car accident that occurred before their child was born.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
Out of the 111 women’s shoe brands that the APMA recommends, Skechers has the most styles (567, to be exact) bearing the organization’s prestigious seal of approval.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
Near the entrance, carvings of boar hunts, bear fights and acrobats recall the spectacle that once filled the arena.
—Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Officials believe the hungry bear wandered into town after being displaced by the Kaibab fire, likely just looking for a post-hibernation snack.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bear
Verb
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James is one of them, though his kindly attempts to be there for Linda, as amateur repairman and reluctant babysitter, have a way of backfiring, usually on himself.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
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Although exact details have yet to be released, people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that Hamas is expected to release all 20 surviving hostages this weekend, while Israeli forces begin withdrawing from most of Gaza.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Even long-standing legends say Cleopatra famously bathed in milk water to soften her skin into more of a baby’s face.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
8 Oct. 2025
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Among independents, his approval stood at 66 percent, with only 20 percent disapproving—a key advantage in one of the nation’s most competitive swing states.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hanke relates that it was riddled with loopholes that handed the Banco Central de la República Argentina discretionary monetary powers.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
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This is interesting because the two teams feature several players who are related, a fact that does not come up very often.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Banana Ball is headed to Truist Field.—
Shane Connuck
October 9,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Oct. 2025
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This week, Paramount announced a deal to acquire The Free Press, the 5-year-old conservative-leaning digital outlet headed by Bari Weiss.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Refrain from entering water that might carry an electric current and avoid walking through floodwaters.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
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Bishop led Tennessee with 146 rushing yards and 1 touchdown on 14 carries before leaving with a leg injury.—
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,
Arkansas Online,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Advertisement An investigation led by the Guardian found in September that out of the 6,000 Palestinians from Gaza held by Israel since the Hamas terror attack two years ago, only one quarter were held on suspicion of militant links.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
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Second, ensure the whole executive team fully buys into the idea and holds others accountable for implementation.—
Adam Gale,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But the department is not behaving like an agency that is simply winding down.—
Megan O’Matz,
ProPublica,
8 Oct. 2025
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Pat said that the bird had only ever behaved that way with her late husband, who had died eight years earlier.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Still hauling out a heavy upright vacuum to clean everyday messes and dust buildup?—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
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Remove Cobwebs on the Ceiling If your friendly neighborhood spiders have been building webs in the corners of your house, grab the Swiffer to swat them away without needing to haul out the step ladder.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bear. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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