bear 1 of 2

verb

ˈber How to pronounce bear (audio)
Definition of bearnext
1
as in to have
to bring forth from the womb luckily, she turned out to be able to bear children after all

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to relate
to have a relation or connection I just found another fact that bears on this issue

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4
as in to head
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 to carry
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 to hold
to keep in one's mind or heart I'm not one to bear grudges

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in to assume
to take to or upon oneself I bear some responsibility for the mishap

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in to pack
to wear or have on one's person the right to bear arms

Synonyms & Similar Words
11
as in to lead
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 to need
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
13
as in to contain
to have within gold-bearing ore

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14
as in to be
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 to yield
to produce as revenue an interest-bearing savings account

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bear

2 of 2

noun

ˈber How to pronounce bear (audio)
1
as in headache
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work the upcoming kitchen renovation sounds like a real bear

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bear differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bear are abide, endure, stand, suffer, and tolerate. While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.

forced to bear a tragic loss

In what contexts can abide take the place of bear?

While the synonyms abide and bear are close in meaning, abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.

cannot abide their rudeness

When might endure be a better fit than bear?

While in some cases nearly identical to bear, endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.

endured years of rejection

Where would stand be a reasonable alternative to bear?

In some situations, the words stand and bear are roughly equivalent. However, stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.

unable to stand teasing

When is suffer a more appropriate choice than bear?

The words suffer and bear are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.

suffering many insults

When can tolerate be used instead of bear?

Although the words tolerate and bear have much in common, tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.

refused to tolerate such treatment

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 bear
Verb
Indeed, the trillion-dollar Belt & Road Initiative is in large part a defensive maneuver, born of a desire to reduce China’s susceptibility to maritime threats from the US by looking inland to the vast Eurasia continent. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Jean Nouvel’s otherworldly collection of interlocking disks seems born of geometry and desert winds rather than petals. — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
No bear surrogate, in other words, is as good as an actual bear. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026 Russia’s bear population has more than doubled to over 300,000 in about three decades, leading authorities to urgently seek new authority to curtail the bear surge, according to the independent news outlet Meduza. — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bear
  1. have
  2. stand
  3. relate
  4. head
  5. carry
  6. hold
  7. behave
  8. haul
Verb
  • The Israeli authorities have questions to answer, said The Jerusalem Post.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 10 Oct. 2026
  • New York City has policies that limit local law enforcement from sharing certain information with federal officers or honoring detainer requests unless immigrants have been convicted of violent crimes.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of have
Verb
  • If successful, each B-52 should be capable of carrying similar payloads of LRASM as JASSM, which currently stands at around 20 per airframe.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026
  • With clients walking out and a competitor putting the agency’s standing at risk, the siblings scramble to save both their income and what their mother built.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of stand
Verb
  • Benski and Clifford are currently in dispute with Vice over payments related the sale of Pulse.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Vollmann was also pessimistic, relating that feeling comes from more than America’s current political issues, but also from the world’s environmental problems.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of relate
Verb
  • After its world premiere in the Narrative Features lineup at the 2025 Slamdance Film Festival, the film heads to the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents & Film Market, where Cappu is presenting it to buyers.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • A little over 11 minutes remained as a noticeable number of Oregon fans began heading toward the exits.
    — Elias Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of head
Verb
  • An ammunition depot was hit, as were a bulk carrier in the Chornomorsk port carrying dual-use goods and port infrastructure in Izmail, the ministry said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • As the hundreds of thousands of people made their way down the narrow roads following the politician, a few rerouted into the industry event, still carrying big flags and with faces lit up with hope.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of carry
Verb
  • The Florida National Guard, the State Emergency Operations Center, State Guard and AT&T Disaster Services are holding aircraft and equipment there, the airport said.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The center held its first rage retreat in May with 16 participants, Lev said, and another is planned for late October.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of hold
Verb
  • Their primary role has been to assess AI model capabilities and risks and to flag instances where the technology behaves badly.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The snow pile in the parking lot Heat can behave in surprising ways.
    — Moones Alamooti, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of behave
Verb
  • And few vehicles can switch from carrying a family to hauling furniture quite so easily.
    — Chris Hardesty, AJC.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • While the university grappled with yet another football scandal, an Ann Arbor moving crew simply got to work—sorting, packing and hauling away the remnants of a fallen career, one item at a time, over the span of six hours.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of haul

Phrases Containing bear

Browse Nearby Words

beans
bear
bearable
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Cite this Entry

“Bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bear. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bear

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bear

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