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bearing

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adjective

bearing

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verb

present participle of bear
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as in carrying
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 packing
to wear or have on one's person the right to bear arms

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as in leading
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 yielding
to produce as revenue an interest-bearing savings account

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun bearing contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bearing are carriage, demeanor, deportment, manner, and mien. While all these words mean "the outward manifestation of personality or attitude," bearing is the most general of these words but now usually implies characteristic posture.

a woman of regal bearing

When is it sensible to use carriage instead of bearing?

The meanings of carriage and bearing largely overlap; however, carriage applies chiefly to habitual posture in standing or walking.

the kind of carriage learned at boarding school

When could demeanor be used to replace bearing?

The synonyms demeanor and bearing are sometimes interchangeable, but demeanor suggests one's attitude toward others as expressed in outward behavior.

the haughty demeanor of the headwaiter

When might deportment be a better fit than bearing?

While in some cases nearly identical to bearing, deportment suggests actions or behavior as formed by breeding or training.

your deportment was atrocious

In what contexts can manner take the place of bearing?

While the synonyms manner and bearing are close in meaning, manner implies characteristic or customary way of moving and gesturing and addressing others.

the imperious manner of a man used to giving orders

Where would mien be a reasonable alternative to bearing?

The words mien and bearing are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mien is a literary term referring both to bearing and demeanor.

a mien of supreme self-satisfaction

Examples of bearing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
While Bieber has been getting his musical bearings back, he’s also been busy with something far more personal: Fatherhood. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2024 In one memorable case, a pilot lost his bearings after a plane above and in front of him dumped its load of retardant on his windshield, cloaking his view. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024 This led many to question if the USA gymnast would actually be stripped of her medal and asked to return it, as CAS had no bearing on the actual medal standing. Deanna Taylor, Essence, 13 Aug. 2024 She’s dressed down in a T-shirt and pants, modest in her bearing but equipped with luminous gray-green eyes that fix on you with disarming attention. Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bearing 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bearing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near bearing

Cite this Entry

“Bearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bearing. Accessed 16 Sep. 2024.

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