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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 three-loss teams outside of Vannini’s top 12 had conference opponents and rivalry games left to play, yet the results had no bearing on Playoff positioning. Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 1 June 2026 Girard, who has worked as an executive for two companies that manage SIBTF cases, said the fraud uncovered in the Claustro case has no bearing on the trailer bill. Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026
Verb
Are bad guys forced to use nondescript phones and computers so as not to sow chaos with a device bearing Apple’s famous logo? Hunter Ingram, Variety, 8 June 2026 That’s not to say New Yorkers wouldn’t be excited at the prospect of sliding on a pair of kicks bearing their beloved star’s name. Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bearing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bearing
Noun
  • Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
    Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 10 June 2026
  • Its enduring relevance is not for the better.
    Joobin Bekhrad, Time, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • Each of the contenders have showcased their relationship with the president in their pitch to voters.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 8 June 2026
  • Carrying this dual way of writing and naming forward, by the late 1950s, Carson’s ever-expanding ecological thinking would lead her to consider the place of human beings in this web of relationships.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • Campbell also believes that Sorsby's behavior doesn't rise to the level that would justify such action anyway, telling Dakich that schools have let players with much worse transgressions play.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2026
  • Long-term stress changes the brain, affecting mood, memory, behavior, attention spans and decision-making.
    Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
Adjective
  • Goodfellas is co-producing, and Veterans will oversee sales for the rest of the world.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 May 2026
  • Alongside her husband Barack Obama, Michelle is co-producing Proof through their company Higher Ground, which is also behind her podcast.
    Hannah Malach, InStyle, 21 May 2026
Verb
  • But during the commonwealth’s rebuttal case, his then-acting supervisor denied having plans to meet with Banfield that day and said his other managers were out of town.
    Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 5 June 2026
  • One thing, too, that Sara and I talked about early on was having the crew and the musicians eat lunch together every day.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • But the officers descend upon an innocent Black man standing nearby instead.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
  • In fairness to RoboClown, that kid was standing directly in the path of its kicks.
    Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • So, remember, by finding weeds, noting their location, relating them to a condition, and choosing corrective actions based on that condition, gardeners can begin to form maintenance diagnoses for their gardens through weeds.
    Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 18 May 2026
  • The young players seem to like how Harbaugh is teaching and relating, too.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • The man was heading home when two men pulled him over on the 110 Freeway onramp from Redondo Beach Boulevard, according to the plea agreement.
    Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
  • Now 25, Woods Richardson is heading back to Toronto, acquired by the Blue Jays on Wednesday in a trade for cash considerations.
    Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 4 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bearing. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

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