bearing 1 of 3

Definition of bearingnext
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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

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 bearing
Noun
The best way to get your bearings is to board the safari vehicle, a Land Cruiser custom-fashioned with an open-air perch some 10 feet off the ground. Samantha Falewée, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026 Armor attempted to block the analysis from being used in the trial by arguing the allegations had no bearing on whether the medical treatment its employees provided to Williamson met its standard of care. Nichole Manna, ProPublica, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Nearly two decades after Pavlis died, the new trail system bearing his name opened Saturday in the Foothills north of Eagle. Noah Daly updated May 12, Idaho Statesman, 12 May 2026 Consider adding low-impact, weight-bearing activities, such as walking with light dumbbells, to your routine. Sherri Gordon, Health, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bearing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bearing
Noun
  • That focus gives his practice a very specific kind of relevance.
    Matt Emma, USA Today, 13 May 2026
  • The apparent conflict highlights the ambiguous rules around recall status and its relevance in a trial that’s been peppered with globe-trotting billionaires.
    David Ingram, NBC news, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Your co-parent is managing treatment, uncertainty and the very real fear of how this will affect his relationship with his daughter.
    Jann Blackstone, Boston Herald, 10 May 2026
  • Her childhood, family relationships, and upbringing in the South shape her understanding of her identity as a writer and storyteller.
    Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • Lynch had faced complaints about inappropriate behavior before.
    Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2026
  • Riders cannot directly control or override a Waymo vehicle’s driving behavior in real time.
    Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Adjective
  • Olivier Picard and David Pierrat of Parce Que Films are co-producing.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 May 2026
  • Many that remain are adopting an array of strategies, from programming more conservatively to cost-cutting by co-producing, to hold on.
    Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • More about Richard Glossip's case Glossip is accused of having his boss, Barry Van Treese, an Oklahoma City motel owner, killed in 1997 to keep from being fired for embezzlement.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 15 May 2026
  • The Giants’ defense will feel the sting of not having Dexter Lawrence in the middle anymore during this one.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Last month, despite Orbán’s formidable, long-standing attempts to rig the legal and electoral systems in his favor, Magyar won, in a stunning upset.
    Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
  • Remove water sources that wasps can use to build their nests by getting rid of standing water in birdbaths, downspout drains, or other sources in the yard.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • The young players seem to like how Harbaugh is teaching and relating, too.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
  • Some of them are old systems of knowledge, ways of relating the body to fertility, death, and survival.
    George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Jupiter softball team is heading to the state final four as the host Warriors cruised past Centennial 15-0 in three innings in a 7A regional final on Thursday night.
    Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2026
  • The stalemate that existed has been broken, and the Republicans now seem likely to obtain a meaningful edge heading into the midterms.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 15 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bearing. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

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