bare
beh-uh
Bare (adj) means not covered by clothing, decoration, or any other covering; exposed. Example: “The baby's bare toes poked out from under the blanket.”
adj
1
Not covered by clothing, decoration, or any other covering; exposed.
"The baby's bare toes poked out from under the blanket."
"She walked across the hot sand in bare feet."
"The walls were left bare after they took down all the pictures."
2
Just enough and no more; the minimum.
"The cupboard held only the bare necessities: bread, tea and a tin of beans."
"He packed only the bare essentials for the trip."
"They gave the bare minimum of information required."
verb
1
To uncover or reveal something.
"The magician bared his empty hands to show the audience."
"The storm bared the old tree roots along the riverbank."
"The dog bared its teeth as a warning."
How to use bare
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUncovered, empty, or reduced to the essential minimum.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "bear" (the animal, or "to carry/endure") — they sound identical but mean completely different things.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
bare feet
bare minimum
bare walls
bare essentials
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Word forms
- Plural
- bares
- Third person singular
- bares
- Past tense
- bared
- Comparative
- barer
- Superlative
- barest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The baby's _____ toes poked out from under the blanket.
Etymology
From Old English bær ("bare, naked, open"), a very old Germanic word found in similar forms across German, Dutch, and Scandinavian languages.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for bare
See all rhymes for bare →Frequently asked questions
What does “bare” mean?
The word “bare” means not covered by clothing, decoration, or any other covering; exposed. In plain terms, uncovered, empty, or reduced to the essential minimum.
How do you pronounce “bare”?
“Bare” is pronounced beh-uh (/bɛɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “bare” in a sentence?
Here is “bare” used in a sentence: “She walked across the hot sand in bare feet.”
What is the opposite of “bare”?
The opposite of “bare” — its antonyms — are cover, cover up and hide.
What part of speech is “bare”?
Depending on how it is used, “bare” can be an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “bare” come from?
The word “bare” comes from Old English. From Old English bær ("bare, naked, open"), a very old Germanic word found in similar forms across German, Dutch, and Scandinavian languages.
Is “bare” a common word?
“Bare” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “bare” have?
“Bare” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: not covered by clothing, decoration, or any other covering; exposed.
What is the difference between bare and bear?
Bare and bear are homophones that sound alike but mean different things. Bare is usually an adjective meaning not covered or exposed, as in bare feet, while bear is either the animal or a verb meaning to carry or endure. Writing bear feet instead of bare feet is a common spelling mistake.
What is the difference between bare and naked?
Bare and naked both describe something not covered by clothing, but bare is often used for individual parts, such as bare arms or a bare back, while naked usually describes the whole body. Bare also applies to things beyond the body, like a bare wall or bare shelf. Naked is rarely used for objects in this way.
When should you use bare instead of empty?
Use bare when something lacks its usual covering or contents but the focus is on exposure, such as a bare wall or bare branches. Empty stresses that a container or space holds nothing at all. A room can be bare because it has no furniture, while a glass is empty because it holds no liquid.
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