Bear or Bare with Me?

search our site by Craig Shrives

Bear with Me

We all know that a "bear" is a large mammal (e.g., polar bear, grizzly bear). To differentiate from that, some writers are tempted to use "bare" in expressions such as "bear with me," "bear witness," "bear fruit," "cannot bear it," and "bear the brunt."

In fact, "bear" is a highly versatile word. As a verb, it has many meanings, one of which is "to endure." For example:

• Bear with me
• Bear the pressure

"Bare," on the other hand, is not a versatile word. It means only exposed, naked, or empty. So, unless you mean one of those, you should almost certainly be using "bear." Read more about "bare" and "bear" (including "born" and "borne").

Common Terms with Bear

Here are five common expressions with "bear":

• Bear with me
• Bear witness
• Bear fruit
• Bear the brunt
• Cannot bear it

Using "bare" with some of these expressions might not be be wrong, but it will change the meaning.

• Bare witness
(This is wrong unless you mean a witness with no clothes on.)
• Bare fruit
(This is wrong unless you mean a fruit with no dressing, peel, or skin.)

Printable Test