Bear or Bare (Witness, Fruit, the Brunt)

by Craig Shrives

The Quick Answer

Use "bear" with "to bear witness," "to bear fruit," and "to bear the brunt."

"Bare" means exposed or naked (e.g., without clothes). For everything else, use "bear."

Bear Witness, Bear Fruit, and Bear the Brunt

Writers are highly familiar with "bear" meaning a large mammal (e.g., grizzly bear), and this causes some to opt for "bare" when using some common expressions (because they know that a "bear" denotes the large mammal). Well, unless you mean exposed or naked (the meaning of "bare"), then you should almost certainly be using "bear," which is a word with many meanings. Here are four common expressions with "bear":
  • Bear witness correct tick
  • Bear fruit correct tick
  • Bear the brunt correct tick
  • Bear with me correct tick
Using "bare" with these expressions might not be be wrong, but it will certainly alter the meaning.
  • Bare witness wrong cross
    • (This is wrong unless you mean a witness with no clothes on.)
  • Bare fruit wrong cross
    • (This is wrong unless you mean a fruit with no dressing, peel, or skin.)
  • Bare the brunt wrong cross
    • (This is wrong.)
  • Bare with me wrong cross
    • (This is wrong.)
Read more about "bare" and "bear" (including "born" and "borne").

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See Also

More about bare and bear (including born and borne) List of easily confused words