Bare or Bear?
Bare or Bear?
What is the difference between "bare" and "bear"? Here is the quick answer:- "Bare" means exposed (e.g., without clothes).
- For everything else, use "bear."


Click on the Two Correct Sentences
(Interactive Game)
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More about "Bear" and "Bare"
There is often confusion over the words "bear" and "bare." This 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, the word "bear" is a very versatile word. 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
Bear
The word "bear" has many meanings: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.
- He bears himself with utmost dignity.
- You bear a resemblance to your mother.
- Does this document bear your signature?
- I bear bad news, I'm afraid.
- 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)
- 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.

Bare
The adjective "bare" means uncovered, naked, exposed (i.e., without cover, clothing or cladding), or empty.Examples:
- 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?
A Video Summary
Here is a short video summarizing the difference between "bear" and "bare."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 burden borne by the managerial team was simply too heavy.
- I was London-born.
- She was born in New York.
- The child was borne to a witch.
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?