rear 1 of 3

adjective

ˈrir How to pronounce rear (audio)
Definition of rearnext
as in back
being at or in the part of something opposite the front part go to the back of the building and look out the rear window and you'll see the eagle

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rear

2 of 3

noun

ˈrir How to pronounce rear (audio)
1
as in tail
a behind part or surface the rear of the car was sleekly designed

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2
as in seat
the part of the body upon which someone sits fell off her skates onto her rear

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rear

3 of 3

verb

ˈrir How to pronounce rear (audio)
1
as in to raise
to bring to maturity through care and education watched a documentary on how wolves rear their young

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2
as in to erect
to fix in an upright position it took all the men in the village to rear the frame for the barn, pulling hard at the ropes until all the sides were standing

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3
as in to build
to form by putting together parts or materials the city has plans for rearing a new convention center over the next two years

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4
as in to grow
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care an amateur who rears rare orchids in a professional-grade greenhouse

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb rear contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of rear are boost, elevate, heave, hoist, lift, and raise. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

When could boost be used to replace rear?

While the synonyms boost and rear are close in meaning, boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

How does the word elevate relate to other synonyms for rear?

Elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

In what contexts can heave take the place of rear?

Although the words heave and rear have much in common, heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When can hoist be used instead of rear?

While in some cases nearly identical to rear, hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

When might lift be a better fit than rear?

The words lift and rear are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

When is raise a more appropriate choice than rear?

The words raise and rear can be used in similar contexts, but raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

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 rear
Adjective
Bailey’s image in between the rear seats took over four months to compose, Rolls-Royce said, and is made of over 180 pieces of veneer, including four pieces of veneer for the dog’s tongue alone. —Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025 Post impact, one drone landed in a rear parking lot while the second drone landed in another park lot near Roosevelt Street and 96th Avenue, according to Mendez. —Julie Mendes, AZCentral.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
Blaney, already locked into the Round of 8 with his victory last Sunday at New Hampshire, blew a right-rear tire in practice and crashed into the outside wall. —Reid Spencer, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2025 Two men ducked behind the van as an agent wearing full tactical gear opened the driver's side door and looked into the rear of the vehicle. —Peter D'abrosca , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
In Week 3, the problems reared their head in a major way for an even tougher road loss. —Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2025 The Buffs traded punts with the Pokes until the opening drive of the second quarter, when Salter got a nice pocket to work with, reared back, and fired a 29-yard strike in the end zone to Miller that put the hosts up 6-0 before the extra point. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rear
  1. back
  2. seat
  3. raise
  4. erect
  5. build
  6. grow
  7. tail
  8. foster
Adjective
  • Late in the first quarter, the Rockets gave up a wide-open dunk to Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu and an easy layup to Porziņģis because the back line of the defense was caught out of place and out of sync.
    — William Guillory, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • If Charlotte is to find success on offense, let alone wins, in the back half of the season, Fitch must find ways to get his playmakers the ball in space and stay ahead of the chains.
    — Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2025
Definition of back
Noun
  • Jose Mourinho had just got up from his seat in the Benfica dugout, at the start of the game, when the Chelsea supporters in the Matthew Harding Stand at Stamford Bridge started to serenade him.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • As the applause continued, Clooney kissed his wife Amal, who looked emotional in her seat just behind him.
    — Jen Juneau, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Definition of seat
Verb
  • The government can raise revenues by increasing the payroll tax that funds Social Security or the income threshold to continue paying the tax or raise the full retirement age.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
  • The nonprofit will provide scholarships and supportive services for families raising children with autism.
    — Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Oct. 2025
Definition of raise
Verb
  • And, in a break with the past, the VDMA is now expressing support for erecting countervailing tariffs when foreign products are found to be made with the support of government subsidies.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The building, erected between 2005 and 2007, has drawn loiterers, break-ins, litter and other signs of vagrancy and neglect since CVS permanently closed the location in April 2022.
    — Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 30 Sep. 2025
Definition of erect
Verb
  • Elanco's move jumpstarts the OneHealth Innovation District, a partnership with Purdue to build an advanced science hub.
    — Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Switzerland, like Germany, built its 20th-century industrial economy on training and valuing all types of workers—those that work with their hands and those that work at a desk.
    — Peter Vanham, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Definition of build
Verb
  • Most pressing is inflation – but there’s also Japan’s demographic crisis, with a rapidly aging population, falling birthrate, shrinking workforce, and growing costs of elder care and welfare.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Short cruises, typically lasting less than a week, are growing in popularity for quick getaways.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of grow
Noun
  • There, patrons are sure to be seen sipping on a sweet and tropical drink the color of a bright summer sunflower, or the bright tail patch of the official state bird.
    — Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Read on for spectacular views of this wandering comet and its magnificent tail as captured by astrophotographers around the world.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of tail
Verb
  • The Biden administration announced more than $170 billion worth of investments to foster domestic EV auto production.
    — Rebecca A. Fannin, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The city is home to a robust ecosystem of producers, service companies and highly skilled professionals, now reinforced by the Madrid Audiovisual Cluster, which fosters public–private collaboration across the sector.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Definition of foster

Phrases Containing rear

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reaps
rear
reared
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Cite this Entry

“Rear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rear. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rear

Nglish: Translation of rear for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rear

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