Bare or Bear?

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The difference between "Bare" and "Bear"

"Bare" and "bear" are easy to confuse. The confusion arises because, knowing a "bear" is a large mammal (e.g., a brown bear), writers feel uncomfortable using "bear" in its other meanings. In fact, "bear" is a very versatile word. "Bare" is far less versatile. It means empty or exposed (e.g., without clothes). Here are some common expressions with "bear":

• Bear with me
• Bear fruit
• Bear in mind
• Bear the cost
• Bear the pain
• Bear the brunt
• Bear the burden
• Bear the consequences
• Bear the thought
• Bear the weight
• Bear the name

Quick Test on Bare and Bear

It's your go. Select the correct one:

More about "Bare" and "Bear"

Bare

The adjective "bare" means "uncovered," "naked," "exposed" (i.e., without cover, clothing, or cladding), or "empty."

Example sentences with "bare":

• Don't go out in bare feet. You'll catch a cold.
  
• Was the protestor totally bare when he ran in the meeting room?
• You need to cover those pipes. Bare pipes will freeze this winter.
• We haven't done our grocery shopping this week, and I'm afraid the cupboards are bare.
• Peter ploughed those fields with his bear hands?
(This should be "bare hands.")

Bear

The word "bear" has four main meanings:

(1) To carry (in many senses of the word).

• We come bearing gifts for your chief.
• Our camels do not mate regularly, but we are expecting Tsu Tsu to bear her first baby next season.
• This small tree bears hundreds of apples every year.
• Who will bear the responsibility for this vandalism?
• My auntie is the tall lady bearing the green hat.
(Bear means "to wear" as opposed "to carry" in this example.)
• He bears himself with utmost dignity.
(Bear can mean "to carry" in an even looser sense.)
• You bear a resemblance to your mother.
• Does this document bear your signature?
• I bear bad news, I'm afraid.

(2) To endure or to tolerate.

• Mrs Taylor cannot bear the constant drone of the generator.
• I have learnt to bear the cold.
  
• It is very easy to endure the difficulties of one's enemies. It is the successes of one's friends that are hard to bear. (Playwright Oscar Wilde)

(3) To maintain a direction.

• Bear left at the next two Y junctions.
• This track bears north for the next 10 miles and then bears east as far as the lake.

(4) A large mammal.

A Video Summary

Here is a short video summarizing the difference between "bear" and "bare."

Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos.

Bore, Borne, and Born

The past tense of "to bear" is bore. For example:

• They bore gifts for the chief.
• You bore a remarkable resemblance to your mother when you were younger.

The past passive participle of "to bear" is borne. For example:

• The burden borne by the managerial team was simply too heavy.

However, when talking about birth, the alternative participle "born" is used (as an adjective or in a passive sentence). For example:

• I was London-born.
(Here, "born" is part of an adjective.)
• She was born in New York.
(This is "born" in a passive sentence.)
• The child was borne to a witch.
(This should be "born.")

Note: The word before "born" is usually the verb to be (e.g., "is," "was," "were," "been").

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