bear
1 of 2noun
ˈber 
plural bears
often attributive
1
or plural bear : any of a family (Ursidae of the order Carnivora) of large heavy mammals of America and Eurasia that have long shaggy hair, rudimentary tails, and plantigrade feet and feed largely on fruit, plant matter, and insects as well as on flesh
2
: a surly, uncouth, burly, or shambling person
a tall, friendly bear of a man
3
[probably from the proverb about selling the bearskin before catching the bear] : one that sells securities or commodities in expectation of a price decline compare bull
4
: something difficult to do or deal with
the oven is a bear to clean
bearlike
ˈber-ˌlīk
adjective bear
2 of 2verb
ˈber
bore ˈbȯr ; borne also born ˈbȯrn ; bearing
; borne also born ˈbȯrn ; bearing transitive verb
1
a
: to accept or allow oneself to be subjected to especially without giving way
couldn't bear the pain
I can't bear seeing you cry
b
: to call for as suitable or essential
it bears watching
c
: assume, accept
d
: to support the weight of : sustain
e
: to hold above, on top, or aloft
f
: to admit of : allow
2
a
: to move while holding up and supporting (something)
b
: to have as a feature or characteristic
bears a likeness to her grandmother
c
: to be equipped or furnished with (something)
d
: to have as an identification
bore the name of John
e
: to hold in the mind or emotions
bear malice
f
: behave, conduct
bearing himself well
g
: to give as testimony
bear false witness
h
: disseminate
i
: lead, escort
j
: render, give
3
a
: to give birth to
b
: to produce as yield
c(1)
: to permit growth of
(2)
: contain
oil-bearing shale
4
: thrust, press
intransitive verb
1
a
: to go or incline in an indicated direction
b
: to extend in a direction indicated or implied
c
: to be situated : lie
d
: to become directed
e
: to force one's way
2
a
: apply, pertain —often used with on or upon
facts bearing on the question
b
: to exert influence or force
3
: to produce fruit : yield
4
: to support a weight or strain —often used with up
Synonyms
Noun
- beast
- chore
- headache
- job
- killer
- labor
Verb
- birth [chiefly dialect]
- deliver
- drop
- have
- mother
- produce
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun Traffic in Knoxville, Tennessee, can be a bear anytime, but in late spring the slowdowns on Neyland Drive are often caused by Canada geese. 
Joelle Anthony, Audubon, November-December 2004 True, the rally has been around the corner since Memorial Day. But bears have dominated market sentiment for so long since the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates last February, that traders feel the market is headed for a major tectonic shift … Anthony Ramirez, New York Times, 19 July 1994 Hikers in the woods are far more likely to wear a bell to deter bears than to take precautions against bees. But bears kill two to seven people in North America annually, bee stings kill 600 to 900. Allan J. Davison, Chemical & Engineering News, 15 Mar. 1993 a mother bear and her cubs The bears outnumbered the bulls on Wall Street today. Verb A stone slab bearing 3,000-year-old writing previously unknown to scholars has been found in the Mexican state of Veracruz, and archaeologists say it is an example of the oldest script ever discovered in the Western Hemisphere. John Noble Wilford, New York Times, 15 Sept. 2006 Large public buildings often bear only a loose resemblance to what was originally in the minds of the architects who designed them. Things get cut back to save money; somebody has second thoughts about the way part of the building will function; it takes so long to get public approval that the original idea starts to seem dated … Paul Goldberger, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2002 The most famous work of Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), of course, was purifying milk with the process that now bears his name. Brendan Miniter, American Enterprise, September/October 1998 In so-called parking schemes, securities aren't carried on the books of the true owner but are temporarily sold to someone else with the understanding that the seller will continue to bear any risk of loss and reap any profits. James B. Stewart, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 1993 As a science fiction buff, many years ago, I remember being particularly fascinated by tales of genetic surgery. Imagine the surgeon … peering through the electron microscope, repairing the sickle-cell gene and returning the ovum to its mother, who would then bear a normal child. Richard Novick, New York Times Book Review, 15 Feb. 1987 The sight of Niña already there, snugged down as if she had been at home a month, finished Martín Alonso Pinzón. Older than Columbus, ill from the hardships of the voyage, mortified by his snub from the Sovereigns, he could bear no more. Samuel Eliot Morison, The European Discovery of America, 1974 a symphony that can bear comparison with Beethoven's best The company agreed to bear the costs. The criminals must bear full responsibility for the deaths of these innocent people. Who will bear the blame for this tragedy? See More
Joelle Anthony, Audubon, November-December 2004 True, the rally has been around the corner since Memorial Day. But bears have dominated market sentiment for so long since the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates last February, that traders feel the market is headed for a major tectonic shift … Anthony Ramirez, New York Times, 19 July 1994 Hikers in the woods are far more likely to wear a bell to deter bears than to take precautions against bees. But bears kill two to seven people in North America annually, bee stings kill 600 to 900. Allan J. Davison, Chemical & Engineering News, 15 Mar. 1993 a mother bear and her cubs The bears outnumbered the bulls on Wall Street today. Verb A stone slab bearing 3,000-year-old writing previously unknown to scholars has been found in the Mexican state of Veracruz, and archaeologists say it is an example of the oldest script ever discovered in the Western Hemisphere. John Noble Wilford, New York Times, 15 Sept. 2006 Large public buildings often bear only a loose resemblance to what was originally in the minds of the architects who designed them. Things get cut back to save money; somebody has second thoughts about the way part of the building will function; it takes so long to get public approval that the original idea starts to seem dated … Paul Goldberger, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2002 The most famous work of Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), of course, was purifying milk with the process that now bears his name. Brendan Miniter, American Enterprise, September/October 1998 In so-called parking schemes, securities aren't carried on the books of the true owner but are temporarily sold to someone else with the understanding that the seller will continue to bear any risk of loss and reap any profits. James B. Stewart, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 1993 As a science fiction buff, many years ago, I remember being particularly fascinated by tales of genetic surgery. Imagine the surgeon … peering through the electron microscope, repairing the sickle-cell gene and returning the ovum to its mother, who would then bear a normal child. Richard Novick, New York Times Book Review, 15 Feb. 1987 The sight of Niña already there, snugged down as if she had been at home a month, finished Martín Alonso Pinzón. Older than Columbus, ill from the hardships of the voyage, mortified by his snub from the Sovereigns, he could bear no more. Samuel Eliot Morison, The European Discovery of America, 1974 a symphony that can bear comparison with Beethoven's best The company agreed to bear the costs. The criminals must bear full responsibility for the deaths of these innocent people. Who will bear the blame for this tragedy? See More Recent Examples on the Web Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 According to DeSantis, liberals in the People’s Republic of Massachusetts talk a good game, sticking up for undocumented immigrants with virtue-signaling rhetoric, while red states like his bear the cost and burden of taking care of them. Kevin Cullen, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Sep. 2022 Chris Perfetti is the sweet and sensitive Jacob Hill, and Lisa Ann Walter is the tough-as-nails mama bear Melissa Schemmenti. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 12 Sep. 2022 Before the penultimate course was served, Baca told the crowd about its ingredients, which included blue corn and grits made from bear root, the first thing his grandfather taught him how to forage. Carolyn Kormann, The New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2022 The base of the kick through is another great core exercise, the bear plank. Brett Williams, Men's Health, 9 Sep. 2022 Also expressing his loss, the beloved U.K. bear Paddington, who recently appeared in a short with HRH. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Sep. 2022 And a high school student escaped a bear encounter. Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Each bear is filled with rice to replicate the weight of their baby. Megan Becka, cleveland, 7 Sep. 2022 Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2022 One possible explanation, offered in Science, is that a future variant could bear more resemblance to an earlier strain. Simar Bajaj, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022 New Orleans did more than poke the Tom Brady bear by completing a season sweep of Tampa Bay, 9-0, in December. Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022 This is standard practice, and means that some mailboxes in the U.K. still bear the cypher of the Queen’s father, George VI. Chloe Taylor, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2022 This is gonna sound really gross, but bear with me. Allison Morrow, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Only Hemmer proposes that the Democratic Party might also bear some culpability for the transformation of the partisan landscape—which implies that an overhaul of moral and political vision is crucial. Kim Phillips-fein, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2022 Sources speculate Netflix’s request for proposals from ad buyers will function as a Dutch auction, with the company looking to see what the market will bear. Todd Spangler, Variety, 1 Sep. 2022 There are other parties that bear some responsibility. Linda Chase, Sun Sentinel, 30 Aug. 2022 See More
Noun
The main characters narrowly escape a few dangerous situations, including a fire and an angry bear, as well as unknown forest terrain. Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 According to DeSantis, liberals in the People’s Republic of Massachusetts talk a good game, sticking up for undocumented immigrants with virtue-signaling rhetoric, while red states like his bear the cost and burden of taking care of them. Kevin Cullen, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Sep. 2022 Chris Perfetti is the sweet and sensitive Jacob Hill, and Lisa Ann Walter is the tough-as-nails mama bear Melissa Schemmenti. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 12 Sep. 2022 Before the penultimate course was served, Baca told the crowd about its ingredients, which included blue corn and grits made from bear root, the first thing his grandfather taught him how to forage. Carolyn Kormann, The New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2022 The base of the kick through is another great core exercise, the bear plank. Brett Williams, Men's Health, 9 Sep. 2022 Also expressing his loss, the beloved U.K. bear Paddington, who recently appeared in a short with HRH. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Sep. 2022 And a high school student escaped a bear encounter. Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Each bear is filled with rice to replicate the weight of their baby. Megan Becka, cleveland, 7 Sep. 2022 Verb
Shell said where once 70% of football stadiums at the NCAA Division I level did not bear corporate names, now only about 30% are unnamed. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2022 One possible explanation, offered in Science, is that a future variant could bear more resemblance to an earlier strain. Simar Bajaj, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022 New Orleans did more than poke the Tom Brady bear by completing a season sweep of Tampa Bay, 9-0, in December. Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022 This is standard practice, and means that some mailboxes in the U.K. still bear the cypher of the Queen’s father, George VI. Chloe Taylor, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2022 This is gonna sound really gross, but bear with me. Allison Morrow, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Only Hemmer proposes that the Democratic Party might also bear some culpability for the transformation of the partisan landscape—which implies that an overhaul of moral and political vision is crucial. Kim Phillips-fein, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2022 Sources speculate Netflix’s request for proposals from ad buyers will function as a Dutch auction, with the company looking to see what the market will bear. Todd Spangler, Variety, 1 Sep. 2022 There are other parties that bear some responsibility. Linda Chase, Sun Sentinel, 30 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English bere, from Old English bera; akin to Old English brūn brown — more at brown
Verb
Middle English beren to carry, bring forth, from Old English beran; akin to Old High German beran to carry, Latin ferre, Greek pherein
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2a
Phrases Containing bear
Kids Definition
bear 1 of 2
noun
ˈber
plural bears
1
or plural bear : a large heavy mammal with long shaggy hair and a very short tail
2
: a person resembling a bear in size or behavior a large bear of a man He acted like a grumpy old bear.
bear
2 of 2verb
bore
ˈbȯr
; borne ˈbȯrn
; bearing 1
: support entry 1 sense 1
bear weight
2
: to move while holding up and supporting : carry
They came bearing gifts.
3
: to hold in the mind
She bears a grudge.
4
: to put up with
I can't bear the suspense.
5
: to assume or accept
bear the blame
6
: to have as a feature or characteristic
She bears a resemblance to her sister.
7
: give birth to
bear children
8
: produce entry 1 sense 1
trees bearing fruit
bear interest
9
: to move or lie in the indicated direction
Bear right at the fork.
10
: to have a relation to the matter at hand
These facts don't bear on the question.
Medical Definition
bear
transitive verb
ˈba(ə)r, ˈbe(ə)r
bore ˈbō(ə)r, ˈbȯ(ə)r ; borne ˈbō(ə)rn, ˈbȯ(ə)rn also born ˈbȯ(ə)rn ; bearing
; borne ˈbō(ə)rn, ˈbȯ(ə)rn also born ˈbȯ(ə)rn ; bearing : to give birth to
Legal Definition
bear
verb
ˈbar
bore ˈbōr ; borne
; borne ˈbōrn
also born transitive verb
1
: to physically carry (as an object or message)
the right of the people to keep and bear arms U.S. Constitution amend. II
U.S. Constitution amend. II2
: yield
the stock will bear a dividend
3
a
: to admit of : allow
whatever price the market will bear
b
: assume, accept
you bear legal responsibility for him
intransitive verb
: to relate or have relevance
will admit evidence bearing on her defense
Geographical Definition
Bear
geographical name
ˈber
river 350 miles (563 kilometers) long in northern Utah, southwestern Wyoming, and southeastern Idaho flowing to Great Salt Lake
bear 1 of 2
verb
1
as in to have
to bring forth from the womb luckily, she turned out to be able to bear children after all Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- have
- produce
- deliver
- mother
- drop
- birth
- get
- reproduce
- beget
- spawn
- breed
- labor
- father
- generate
- propagate
- give birth to
- multiply
- kitten
- pup
- sire
- whelp
- kid
- calve
- litter
- kindle
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- lose
- abort
- miscarry
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
- stand
- endure
- tolerate
- take
- handle
- accept
- stomach
- sustain
- abide
- countenance
- stick out
- absorb
- swallow
- brook
- wear
- stand for
- meet
- sweat out
- suffer
- support
- live with
- bide
- pocket
- go
- tough it out
- permit
- hack
- allow
- lump (it)
- respect
- capitulate
- acquiesce
- reconcile (to)
- yield (to)
- assent (to)
- submit (to)
- consent (to)
- agree (with or to)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- refuse
- resist
- avoid
- fight
- reject
- dismiss
- decline
- repudiate
- miss
- escape
- oppose
- evade
- combat
- turn down
- contest
- spurn
- circumvent
- elude
- forbear
- bypass
- dodge
- refrain (from)
- abstain (from)
3
as in to relate
to have a relation or connection I just found another fact that bears on this issue Synonyms & Similar Words
- relate
- pertain
- apply
- refer
- interest
- affect
- concern
- involve
- appertain
- touch
- tie in
- have to do with
- associate
- connect
- link
- couple
- treat
- interrelate
- deal (with)
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- head
- turn
- make
- point
- set out
- put
- face
- set off
- aim
- back
- direct
- bend
- steer
- light out
- veer
- put out
- take off
- come about
- strike
- tack
- cut
- orient
- reverse
- beeline
- come round
- turn back
- put about
- incline
- swerve
- wheel
- yaw
- about-face
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- carry
- sustain
- bolster
- support
- stay
- uphold
- buttress
- brace
- underpin
- undergird
- truss
- steady
- shore (up)
- underlie
- prop (up)
6
as in to hold
to keep in one's mind or heart I'm not one to bear grudges Synonyms & Similar Words
- have
- hold
- retain
- harbor
- cherish
- entertain
- carry
- keep
- remember
- cultivate
- nurse
- maintain
- hold on to
- sustain
- preserve
- treasure
- hang on to
- hug
- foster
- nurture
- support
- cleave (to)
- stick (to)
- fixate (on or upon)
- cling (to)
- brood (about or over)
- obsess (about or over)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- forget
- ignore
- drop
- disregard
- refuse
- overlook
- deny
- neglect
- reject
- decline
- abandon
- repudiate
- scorn
- forsake
- give up
- renounce
- quit
- discard
- desert
- throw out
- abjure
- erase
- part (with)
- disdain
- expunge
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
- carry
- behave
- acquit
- restrain
- handle
- compose
- contain
- conduct
- collect
- demean
- check
- control
- curb
- comport
- moderate
- deport
- quit
- quiet
- temper
- play
- constrain
- inhibit
- act
- repress
- modulate
- impersonate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cut up
- act up
- misconduct
- misbehave
- carry on
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
- carry
- haul
- bring
- transport
- ferry
- send
- convey
- pack
- lug
- take
- cart
- tote
- deliver
- ship
- forward
- transfer
- transmit
- move
- remove
- fetch
- shift
- hand over
9
as in to assume
to take to or upon oneself I bear some responsibility for the mishap Synonyms & Similar Words
- assume
- shoulder
- accept
- undertake
- embrace
- take over
- adopt
- back
- stand by
- advocate
- take up
- acquiesce
- uphold
- champion
- reaccept
- accede
- endorse
- support
- assent
- consent
- agree
- indorse
- espouse
- reassume
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- refuse
- withdraw
- take back
- repudiate
- avoid
- renounce
- disclaim
- disavow
- forbear
- recant
- reject
- retract
- turn down
- abjure
- decline
- relinquish
- spurn
- abandon
- forsake
- abstain (from)
- disown
- refrain (from)
- surrender
- give up
- bypass
- detour
- unsay
- spurn
- back down
- backtrack
- back off
- abnegate
10
as in to pack
to wear or have on one's person the right to bear arms Synonyms & Similar Words
- carry
- pack
- exhibit
- show off
- display
- show
- sport
- flaunt
- parade
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- lead
- go
- lie
- run
- head
- cross
- extend
- cut
- pass
- course
- follow
- span
- traverse
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- need
- require
- take
- want
- demand
- involve
- necessitate
- challenge
- call for
- warrant
- claim
- entail
- ask
- beg
- lack
- insist
- stipulate
- quest
- exact
- enjoin
- cry (for)
- command
- press
- hurt (for)
- clamor (for)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- have
- hold
- possess
- own
13
as in to contain
to have within gold-bearing ore Synonyms & Similar Words
- contain
- hold
- house
- boast
- take
- case
- fit
- encompass
- lodge
- accommodate
- shelter
- enclose
- harbor
- encase
- inclose
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- be
- stand
- lie
- sit
- remain
- wait
- reside
- rest
- hang around
- dwell
- await
- stay
- overlook
- stick around
- post
- station
- tarry
- command
15
as in to yield
to produce as revenue an interest-bearing savings account Synonyms & Similar Words
- yield
- pay
- give
- return
- provide
- supply
- furnish
- afford
- net
- pay off
- bring in
bear
2 of 2noun
1
as in headache
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work the upcoming kitchen renovation sounds like a real bear Synonyms & Similar Words
- headache
- burden
- job
- beast
- killer
- effort
- labor
- load
- chore
- strain
- trouble
- nuisance
- bother
- heavy lifting
- weight
- drudgery
- sweat
- grind
- lucubration
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- snap
- kid stuff
- breeze
- setup
- cinch
- child's play
- duck soup
2
as in crab
an irritable and complaining person you've been a real bear lately—are you having a bad week? Synonyms & Similar Words
- crab
- mutterer
- crank
- hunks
- complainer
- sourpuss
- grump
- curmudgeon
- growler
- murmurer
- grouser
- kicker
- crosspatch
- fusser
- bellyacher
- whiner
- grumbler
- griper
- grouch
- croaker
- party pooper
- killjoy
- grinch
- sorehead
- spoilsport
- quibbler
- defeatist
- crock
- faultfinder
- pessimist
- nitpicker
- repiner
- hypochondriac
- objector
- malcontent
- nagger
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- optimist
- happy camper
- Pollyanna
Synonym Chooser
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
While the synonyms abide and bear are close in meaning, abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.
cannot abide their rudeness
While in some cases nearly identical to bear, endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.
endured years of rejection
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
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
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