bears 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bear
1
as in has
to bring forth from the womb luckily, she turned out to be able to bear children after all

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2
as in stands
to put up with (something painful or difficult) I can't bear the thought of losing another loved one

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3
as in pertains
to have a relation or connection I just found another fact that bears on this issue

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4
as in heads
to go on a specified course or in a certain direction the road bears left after the second traffic light

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5
as in carries
to hold up or serve as a foundation for the wooden bridge will only bear one truck at a time

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6
as in holds
to keep in one's mind or heart I'm not one to bear grudges

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7
as in behaves
to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way she bore herself well in her first public speaking event

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8
as in hauls
to support and take from one place to another the rescue team came bearing much-needed food and supplies

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9
as in shoulders
to take to or upon oneself I bear some responsibility for the mishap

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10
as in packs
to wear or have on one's person the right to bear arms

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11
as in leads
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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12
as in requires
to have as a requirement the violence in that country bears watching if the world wants to avoid a serious international conflict

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13
as in contains
to have within gold-bearing ore

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14
as in is
to occupy a place or location a hot, humid air mass is now bearing just south of the Gulf Coast

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15
as in yields
to produce as revenue an interest-bearing savings account

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bears

2 of 2

noun

plural of bear
1
as in headaches
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work the upcoming kitchen renovation sounds like a real bear

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2
as in crabs
an irritable and complaining person you've been a real bear lately—are you having a bad week?

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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 bears
Verb
However, Homer’s description of the Trojan War bears little resemblance to the war as described in a series of Hittite records, the only existing documentation of a political dispute at that time involving Troy. — Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 22 July 2026 The heir apparent to the British throne bears a striking resemblance to his father in photos from the latter’s childhood. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 22 July 2026 Modern aerospace power bears little resemblance to those caricatures. — David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Under Islamic family law as applied in Saudi courts, the husband bears full financial responsibility for the household. — Wael Mahdi, semafor.com, 21 July 2026 Todd Williams from All Rise and San Andreas voiced the character named Blade Knight, who bears a likeness to Ali. — Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026 If an application is granted, the court must hold a public hearing at which the government bears the burden of proving that the individual satisfies that definition. — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 19 July 2026 His story bears similarities to that of Luis de la Fuente, although the latter’s tenure with the youth national teams was considerably longer. — Juan Claudio Matossian, Vanity Fair, 19 July 2026 Not a biological twin (although some people do have one or more of those) but a person who bears an uncanny resemblance to an unrelated stranger. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026
Noun
According to wildlife officials, bears are known to cache and defend food sources this time of year and noted reports that at least one moose had recently been killed nearby. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026 The restrictions are important because clarity disappears quickly when the price advertised online bears little resemblance to the final bill. — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 In the end, 172 permits were allocated to hunters, who killed 52 bears in December, according to the FWC’s website. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026 As amusing as the video is, the takeaway is that bears are still wild animals and not cute, furry caddies. — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 17 July 2026 Still, bears have argued that Danaher paid a 38% premium for Masimo, an operationally troubled company at a moment of elevated leverage, and that the $125 million synergy target is aspirational. — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 16 July 2026 Aside from simply driving through Yellowstone, taking in the sights on foot resulted in 15 deaths through accidental falls, exposure, unexpected medical issues, and run-ins with animals like bison or bears. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 July 2026 They are advised to remain at least 100 yards away from bears, wolves and cougars. — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 July 2026 The National Park Service recommends remaining at least 100 yards away from bears, wolves and cougars, and at least 25 yards away from all other animals, including bison and elk. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bears
  1. has
  2. stands
  3. pertains
  4. heads
  5. carries
  6. holds
  7. behaves
  8. hauls
Verb
  • The colony also has a population of New Zealand fur seals that laze around the rocks frequented by flocks of seabirds.
    — Todd Symons, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • This fight has all the makings of a Fight of the Year candidate.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of has
Verb
  • The Wave’s record stands at 10 wins, five losses and two draws.
    — The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
  • Argentina also wore new, dark blue jerseys in a tribute to soccer superstar Diego Maradona whose statue stands outside the venue for Saturday's match in Santiago del Estero, Argentina's oldest city.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Definition of stands
Verb
  • Starting next month, the law will prohibit the sale of any food product that isn’t labeled with either phrase — this pertains to products manufactured on or after July 1, 2026.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
  • The arguments stem from a pretrial motion in which Judge Weeks directed that testimony be limited to only what pertains to the charge at hand, involving the retaliation against James Saulter.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026
Definition of pertains
Verb
  • The bill, named the Stop Insider Trading Act, now heads to the Senate.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 23 July 2026
  • Zach Boyd, who heads Utah's AI office, has said Doctronic has, if anything, erred toward over-caution, routinely kicking uncontroversial decisions up to a physician.
    — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of heads
Verb
  • The annual soccer schedule is already jam-packed, each additional 90 minutes carries more injury risk, and most of these players star on club teams whose seasons kick off in a month.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 18 July 2026
  • Under California law, conviction on such a charge typically carries up to a year in county jail.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of carries
Verb
  • The multi-purpose stadium, home to NFL’s Chicago Bears and MLS’ Chicago Fire, holds 62,500 fans.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • But extreme rainfall is becoming more common as planet-warming pollution pushes temperatures higher because warmer air holds more moisture.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Definition of holds
Verb
  • Unlike a felt-tip pen, which delivers a relatively consistent line, a brush liner behaves more like a tiny paintbrush.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026
  • Customers with almost no technical background can collect and label sensor data, run simulations, and validate that a robotic device or vehicle behaves safely in the real world.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of behaves
Verb
  • Having already been booked for a foul on Brobbey, Fofana hauls down Wilson Isidor and earns his club’s eighth red card of the Premier League season.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 24 May 2026
  • According to the military newspaper Stars and Stripes, the Thunderbirds cost taxpayers about $35 million a year in salaries, aircraft, fuel, rehearsals and the C-17 cargo plane that hauls 50-plus support crew and spare parts to every stop on the tour.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026
Definition of hauls

Browse Nearby Words

bear out
bears
bears a hand
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Cite this Entry

“Bears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bears. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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