Bear versus Bare

Homophones, words that sound the same but are spelled differently, can easily be mixed up when writing, especially if the the spellings are similar, such as with bear and bare. So when should bear be used instead of bare? Let’s take a closer look at the meaning of each word, along with some examples.

Bear

As a Noun

The noun form of bear is often used when referring to the animals in the bear family, but it can also be used in relation to people or things. Bear can refer to “a surly, uncouth, burly, or shambling person” (“bear, n. [2]”) or even “something difficult to do or deal with” (“bear, n. [4]). So you may see the word in sentences like these:

Jess’s neighbor was a bear of a person.

The lengthy annual report could be a bear to create.

As a Verb

Bear can be used as a verb to mean many different things, including to mean “to accept or allow oneself to be subjected to especially without giving way” (“bear, v. [1a]”), “to move while holding up and supporting (something)” (“bear, v. [2a]”), and “to have as a feature or characteristic” (“bear, v. [2b]”). 

The bear couldn’t bear the thought of leaving his comfortable spot on the rock.

Sylvia struggled to bear the heavy backpack while she hiked down the steep hill.

Dan bears a resemblance to his grandfather.

Bare

As an Adjective

As an adjective, the word bare can be thought of as usually being related to the absence or lack of something. Merriam-Webster lists definitions such as “lacking a natural, usual, or appropriate covering” (“Bare, adj. [1]); “open to view” (“Bare, adj. [2]); and “unfurnished or scantily supplied” (“Bare, adj. [3]).

Lucy had lost her gloves the night before, so her hands were bare when she went outside the next day.

The walls of the new apartment were still bare.

As a Verb

Merriam-Webster defines the verb form of bare as “to make or lay (something) bare” (“Bare, v.”), meaning to make something visible.

The dog growled and bared her teeth when she heard the loud rustling nearby.

Works Cited

“Bare, adj. (1).” Merriam Webster Unabridged, 2024, unabridged.merriam-webster.com/collegiate/bare.

“Bare, adj. (2).” Merriam Webster Unabridged, 2024, unabridged.merriam-webster.com/collegiate/bare.

“Bare, adj. (3).” Merriam Webster Unabridged, 2024, unabridged.merriam-webster.com/collegiate/bare.

“Bare, v.” Merriam Webster Unabridged, 2024, unabridged.merriam-webster.com/collegiate/bare.

“Bear, n. (2).” Merriam Webster Unabridged, 2024, unabridged.merriam-webster.com/collegiate/bear.

“Bear, n. (4).” Merriam Webster Unabridged, 2024, unabridged.merriam-webster.com/collegiate/bear.

“Bear, v. (1a).” Merriam Webster Unabridged, 2024, unabridged.merriam-webster.com/collegiate/bear.

“Bear, v. (2a).” Merriam Webster Unabridged, 2024, unabridged.merriam-webster.com/collegiate/bear.

“Bear, v. (2b).” Merriam Webster Unabridged, 2024, unabridged.merriam-webster.com/collegiate/bear.