bear 1 of 2

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as in to carry
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the wooden bridge will only bear one truck at a time

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to haul
to support and take from one place to another the rescue team came bearing much-needed food and supplies

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to pack
to wear or have on one's person the right to bear arms

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to lead
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the path will bear north after that marked tree

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in to be
to occupy a place or location a hot, humid air mass is now bearing just south of the Gulf Coast

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as in to yield
to produce as revenue an interest-bearing savings account

Synonyms & Similar Words

bear

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bear differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bear are abide, endure, stand, suffer, and tolerate. While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.

forced to bear a tragic loss

In what contexts can abide take the place of bear?

While the synonyms abide and bear are close in meaning, abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.

cannot abide their rudeness

When might endure be a better fit than bear?

While in some cases nearly identical to bear, endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.

endured years of rejection

Where would stand be a reasonable alternative to bear?

In some situations, the words stand and bear are roughly equivalent. However, stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.

unable to stand teasing

When is suffer a more appropriate choice than bear?

The words suffer and bear are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.

suffering many insults

When can tolerate be used instead of bear?

Although the words tolerate and bear have much in common, tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.

refused to tolerate such treatment

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 bear
Verb
Doctors suspected Noah had been born with optic nerve hypoplasia, meaning his optic nerves were under-developed. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025 Donetsk oblast, or region, in eastern Ukraine bore the brunt of the Kremlin’s systematic attacks, with heavy shelling resulting in nine civilian deaths. Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Noun
This bears pointing out as many legacy bands and even modern bands these days go back and forth between tunings for songs to accommodate their vocalist, which of course is completely fine. Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025 After an hour of rummaging for snacks, Mish, who weighs about 400 pounds, just walked back into the enclosure, and Lucy, who weighs about 300 pounds, ran back inside after the keepers rang a bell that the bears were trained to follow, Habben said. Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bear
Verb
  • The Kissimmee floodplain, which has very few roads even today, was an outlandishly lush and productive wilderness prior to 1961.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2025
  • The couple made an offer immediately, having enough money tied to company stock to afford a downpayment at any time.
    Ani Freedman, Fortune, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • That’s where things stand with Atlanta’s offense, folks.
    David O'Brien, New York Times, 27 June 2025
  • Located on Biscayne Boulevard, the Freedom Tower has long stood as a symbol of Miami’s immigrant roots.
    Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • In February 2024, the EU adopted the Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition, legislation that specifically targeted green and climate related claims.
    Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
  • Northrop Grumman officials, though, said the ULA and Artemis boosters are not directly related.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Lionel Messi heads back to Atlanta this weekend with his Inter Miami teammates to face European champion Paris Saint-Germain, and his past, in a Club World Cup Round of 16 game that is loaded with compelling storylines.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 27 June 2025
  • This latest Emerson College Polling survey also found close to 53 percent believed the country was on the wrong track, compared to close to 48 percent of respondents who said the U.S. was headed in the right direction.
    Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Fine, elegant bubbles carry lifted aromas of raspberry, red apple skin, and rose petal.
    Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • On Sunday, two supertankers—each carrying up to 2 million barrels—turned back in the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites raised fears of commercial shipping being targeted, Bloomberg reported.
    Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • The Mariners hold a 5 1/2-game game over the Royals in the AL Wild Card standings.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2025
  • Republicans, who hold a 53-47 majority, face united Democratic opposition − and the defection of at least two of their own members.
    Olivia Munson, USA Today, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • An aside: phosphorylation is when a tiny chemical group called a phosphate is added to a protein, such as tau, which is like adding a switch to change how the protein behaves.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 June 2025
  • Yet, but Buyers Are Gaining Power For Hale, the recent shifts in the U.S. housing market signals that the country is moving in favor of buyers—and under certain aspects is already behaving more like a buyer's market than a seller's one.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Just think about where your luggage has been; it gets hauled through airports, goes for a ride on a conveyor belt, rolls across dusty parking lots, is stashed into overhead bins, and is often handled by multiple people with no guarantee of clean hands.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2025
  • Those were frugal, pragmatic solutions; every stone that could be reused was another one that didn’t have to be quarried, cut, hauled, and placed.
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bear. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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