bearing 1 of 3

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
Walker went bankrupt and in 1918 the inn was bought by the Torrington Co., the bearings manufacturer and the city’s largest employer. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025 As portrayed by Leonardo, Ginevra boasts smooth bronze curls, a flawless porcelain complexion, an elegant neck and noble bearing. E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2025
Verb
Altogether, the researchers looked at three rock slabs bearing footprints, most of which came from one slab discovered in 2002. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025 The rapper has been on a public spiral over the past month, targeting Jews and pulling a bait-and-switch to sell t-shirts bearing a swastika on his e-store. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bearing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bearing
Noun
  • The cultural relevance of games means that these opportunities are multiplying.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
  • The concept took off quite quickly, boosted by the timely relevance of Covid in 2020.
    Clara Ludmir, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • But the once sure-footed dynamic has given way to some second guessing their relationship with the American exclave, even for family.
    Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
  • While their relationship is complicated, to say the least, Serena doesn't want to see June executed.
    EW.com, EW.com, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Based on their past behavior, cicadas from Brood XIV will likely make their appearances in 14 states, said Gene Kritsky, founder of Cicada Safari, a group that gathers data on the insects.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • He's tallied over 230 technical fouls and has been suspended six times, underscoring a pattern of on-court behavior that continues to draw attention from league officials.
    Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Not for this year’s draft, unfortunately, but having 2026 and 2027 picks from an aging Lightning squad isn’t a bad bet at all.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • After having Dirk Nowitzki, a foreign superstar who stuck with the team for his entire career, the team was looking forward to another player following suit.
    Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The SpaceX Dragon vehicle carrying the four spacefarers selected for a mission known as Crew-10 successfully docked at the orbital outpost about 28 hours after launching from Florida.
    Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2025
  • But Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra insists the ethos remains, even at times such as these, with his team carrying a seven-game losing streak and 29-38 record into Monday night’s game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Again, this man has been holding onto so much, and things have just been compacted for him.
    Katcy Stephan, Variety, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Any incumbent party would have had trouble holding onto the White House.
    Alex Thompson, Axios, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Instead of China coming to resemble the United States, the United States is behaving more like China.
    Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2025
  • In the most heightened of these interventions, the two of them, both very good at behaving badly, turn their own rage against each other.
    Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Forty farmers supply this dairy, hauling milk here twice a day.
    Betsy Andrews, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Apr. 2025
  • As the largest airlifter in the American fleet, this massive aircraft plays a critical role in strategic operations—hauling troops, equipment, helicopters, and even entire military bases across continents in a single flight.
    Interesting Engineering, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bearing. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

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